Women’s College Hospital (WCH) is committed to engaging with patients and communities in all that we do, from designing new programs to delivering services that support a healthier and more equitable world.
Our Experience Advisor Program works with patients, families, care partners and the community to learn more about their experiences at WCH and the healthcare system so we can make healthcare experiences better for everyone.
The Experience Advisor Program is a community of individuals interested in sharing their stories, perspectives, and expertise to improve the overall patient experience and quality of care provided at Women’s College Hospital.
Contact Info
Women’s College Hospital
76 Grenville Street,
Toronto, ON M5S 1B2
Email: patientexperience@wchospital.ca
Phone: 416-323-6400 ext. 3086
Who are the Experience Advisors?
Experience Advisors are Women’s College Hospital patients, care partners, family, and community members. Experience Advisors volunteer their time to work with WCH leaders, healthcare providers and staff to help shape care, programs, and services. Experience Advisors provide the patient, family, care partner and/or community member perspective by sharing their knowledge and experiences.
Experience Advisor Engagement refers to the process and practices used to inform, gather feedback from, and/or work with patients, families, care partners, and the community on a range of projects, programs, and services.
As an Experience Advisor you can expect the following:
- Orientation and skills building sessions
- Annual appreciation day events
- Participation in opportunities, virtual and/or in-person, that align with your experience, skills, and expertise.
- Network and build relationships with a variety of team members and staff at Women’s College Hospital.
- Make a difference and contribute to the decisions being made that impact the overall patient experience and quality of care provided to patients at Women’s College Hospital.
Below are some example opportunities you can participate in:
Participating in the Community Liaison Advisory Committee (CLAC) which consists of and is chaired by Experience Advisors who serve as an advisory body to the hospital and its Board of Directors on community identified needs and gaps.
Participating on hospital committees, task groups, project teams and hiring panels.
Reviewing communication materials intended for patients and the public.
Participating in discussion groups to provide input on hospital policies, procedures, and initiatives.
Sharing their experiences through stories, focus groups, workshops, panels, and surveys.
To get more information, please contact us:
Email: patientexperience@wchospital.ca
Phone: 416-323-6400 ext. 3086
The Patient Experience Team recruits patients, care partners, family, and community members to work directly with staff on specific WCH initiatives, projects, and committees.
If you meet the following criteria, the experience advisor program may be for you:
- Willing to talk about your experiences and able to share insights and information in a way others can learn from them.
- Comfortable speaking in a group in an open manner.
- Passionate about improving healthcare experiences for others.
- Listens well and respectful towards others’ perspectives.
- Able to see beyond own experiences and see the big picture.
- Have the time to participate.
To become an Experience Advisor, review the following steps:
Complete an Expression of Interest Form. A Program coordinator will contact you to schedule a telephone interview.
Sign Program Forms
Attend Orientation and Skill building sessions
Engage with our community of experience advisors and WCH staff members.
Yes! We encourage all current and past patients, care partners, family and community members to apply to the program.
Individuals interested in joining the Experience Advisor Program can apply online. For more detailed information about the program, download the Experience Advisor Handbook or contact patientexperience@wchospital.ca.
Once an application form is completed, a member of the Patient Experience Team will contact you via email to schedule a virtual phone interview.
Below are some example opportunities Experience Advisors can participate in:
- Participate in the Community Liaison Advisory Committee, Hospital committees, task groups, project teams and hiring panels.
- Review communication materials intended for patients and the public.
- Participate in discussion groups to provide input on hospital policies, procedures, and initiatives.
- Share experiences through stories, focus groups, workshops, panels, and surveys.
Time commitments will vary depending on the type of opportunity. As Experience Advisors work directly with WCH staff members, typically, committee or focus group meetings will be held during the day (i.e. 8AM to 5PM), however there are asynchronous activities that allow Experience Advisors to engage after hours.
Yes! We recognize that many of the focus group or committee meetings are offered during regular business hours which makes it challenging for those who have daytime commitments. However, there are opportunities that allow Experience Advisors to provide their input asynchronously, after regular business hours. You can decide which opportunities you can commit to depending on your own schedule.
The feedback we receive from WCH Experience Advisors is very important to us. We make every effort to advise Experience Advisors about the impact of their contributions through regular communication with WCH staff and the Patient Experience team.
Unfortunately, the Experience Advisor program is not a patient support program. The Experience Advisor Program allows patients, care partners, family and community members to work directly with WCH staff on administrative based hospital projects and initiatives. For volunteer opportunities, please visit the Volunteer Resources page here. For participating in research opportunities, see the Patient and Community Engagement in Academics webpage for a list of research studies patients can participate in.
At this time, travel expenses for on-site meetings are reimbursed and refreshments will be provided for meetings that are 3 or more hours in length.
See the Experience Advisor Program on the WCH Intranet page here.