The Leadership and Organizational Context Required to Support Patient Partnerships

Healthcare providers and managers typically design programs based on what they believe patients need and want. Yet patients have knowledge and insight into how the system can be changed to better meet their needs, improve outcomes and reduce costs. We describe challenges in creating a culture of patient partnerships and the leadership actions and organizational context required now and in the future to support engagement-capable environments at the organizational and policy levels in Canada. Case examples illustrate the need for leaders to set clear expectations, develop the infrastructure to support patient partnerships and provide education to staff, physicians and patient partners.