Patients include those with personal experience of a health issue, as well as informal caregivers, including family and friends. Patients may be community or public representatives, individuals from patient organizations or other who have experience with illness.

Patients are partners on patient-oriented research teams, helping to set research priorities, evaluate and conduct research and contribute to all areas of research. Different organizations may use different terminology, such as Patient Family Advisors, Resident Family Partners or Patient Partners. We encourage people to use the term the patient is most comfortable with.

Patient Partners are valued members of the research team who offer a unique perspective and are an essential piece of the research puzzle. Where a patient participant is a subject or research, a Patient Partner is a partner in research.

Communities can be Patient Partners. In partnership with The Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre (IPHRC), SCPOR highlights the importance of Indigenous communities as part of patient-oriented research. Knowledge Keepers are part of our team to share their knowledge and ensure that Indigenous culture is respected and protocol followed.

On Research Teams

Patients and family members can serve a variety of roles on the research team, based on their abilities and interests and the research team needs. Some examples include choosing research priorities, advising on different research approaches, and helping with data interpretation and analysis. Patients can help researchers write surveys that are more understandable or relevant for the research participants or help with focus groups and interviews; their input is often invaluable in interpreting data. In addition, SCPOR has a number of advisory committees which include Patient Partners. See this diagram for some of the many ways patients and family members can get involved. Click here to download the graphic on the right.

Working with SCPOR

Patients are instrumental in co-designing, co-organizing, spear-heading, and co-hosting a number of our initiatives. Without their valuable contribution, this important work could not be done. Some examples of ways our Patient Partner’s contribute to SCPOR are included in the diagram. Click here to download the graphic on the right.

If you would like to become involved with SCPOR as a Patient Partner, take a look at the following supports and services we offer.

Still have questions? Contact one of our Patient & Family Centred Care team at scpor.pe@saskhealthauthority.ca.

Patient Partners play a valuable role in building a sustainable, accessible and more equitable healthcare system. Click the image above to watch the video.

Learn more about patient-oriented research from the perspective of a Patient Partner. Click the image above to watch the video.