Imagine Citizens Network

Reflecting on 2024: Please see below for a message from our Board Chair, Stephen Samis. Thank you for all your support, participation, and connection in 2024! We are so excited to head into 2025, and our 10th anniversary. Wishing you and yours a healthy, happy, holiday season. ❤️

At Imagine Citizens Network, we believe personal stories—both positive and challenging—are key to driving meaningful change in healthcare. Your feedback helps us shape a safer, more compassionate system. We invite you to share your experiences on Care Opinion Canada, a platform where your voice can highlight what's working and where improvements are needed, encouraging those in power to take action.

This Giving Tuesday, we asked our community to share their hopes for the future of our healthcare system. At #ICN, our mission is clear: to empower and mobilize citizens as valued partners in shaping their healthcare journeys. The message was unanimous—collaboration and continuous improvement are at the heart of achieving the best outcomes for all Albertans. Together, we can build a healthcare system that works for everyone. #ICN is fueled by the generosity of our supporters, and if you are able to give this holiday season, we would appreciate your consideration. Every dollar donated amplifies citizen voices and enables more meaningful engagement, driving initiatives like community dialogues, guiding principles for healthcare transformation, and collaborative work with government and healthcare providers to create a system that truly reflects the needs and experiences of Albertans. Support our mission here: https://lnkd.in/gkDsr6VC

Imagine Citizens Network the organization behind Care Opinion, is based in Alberta. So naturally this province was the place to pilot and launch Care Opinion before it is taken across Canada in the future. 

📢 Access denied? According to a survey completed in 2022, less than 40% of Canadians have full access to their health records.[1] For the rest, navigating their own care feels like solving a puzzle with missing pieces. The "Data Disarray" report highlights how outdated systems limit patients' ability to manage their health proactively. AVCCB Recommendation: Modern, citizen-centered data platforms that give you full control of your information. Read the full report for more on how we can make healthcare data work for us: https://lnkd.in/gHTBb_Xi Source: https://lnkd.in/gU5sMT3T

As part of Digital Health Week, we're excited to highlight the role technology plays in shaping the future of healthcare. At Imagine Citizens Network, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our Care Opinion Canada social media channels—just in time to align with this week’s celebration of digital health transformation. Care Opinion Canada provides a unique platform where patients and families can safely and anonymously share their healthcare experiences. By sharing stories directly with healthcare providers, we spark collaboration, celebrate what’s working, and focus on areas for growth. This culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement is at the heart of Digital Health Week. Here’s how Care Opinion Canada supports the digital health transformation: 🔹 Meaningful Engagement: We simplify the process of sharing feedback, making it accessible and impactful for everyone. 🔹 Transparency & Accountability: Our platform creates a direct connection between patients and providers, fostering positive change. 🔹 Better Care Through Technology: Feedback leads to actionable insights, improving practices and relationships between patients and providers. 🔹 Building Trust: We provide a safe space for individuals to share stories that help create a more patient-centered healthcare system. As we celebrate Digital Health Week, let’s recognize how digital tools like Care Opinion Canada are revolutionizing healthcare engagement. By empowering patients and healthcare providers, we can work together to build a more responsive, transparent, and accountable healthcare system. Join us—share your story and be part of the change! Our Care Opinion Socials are now live! Follow Along: LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gdiXxCTV Twitter/X: https://lnkd.in/gQXRA5Zg Facebook: https://lnkd.in/gwz4kQmq Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gG5GT7G8

Canada’s fragmented health data system leaves patients and providers disconnected, with real risks for care and outcomes. Stories like Greg Price’s highlight why secure, seamless sharing of health information is essential. Programs like Care Opinion Canada will be a step toward a more inclusive, citizen-centered digital health system. Read more about the challenges and solutions in this CBC article: https://lnkd.in/gniBeeVk

We’re thrilled to share that Care Opinion Canada just launched on social media. This is a unique platform where patients and families can safely and anonymously share their healthcare experiences. Give Care Opinion Canada a follow and stay tuned for more details on how you can start sharing your care stories and how we are working towards a more responsive, transparent, and accountable healthcare system.

🩺 Canada’s Healthcare: Trapped in Silos, Risking Patient Safety Did you know? In Canada, health records are often fragmented across multiple providers, with no unified system to connect the dots. This creates gaps in care, leading to missed information, duplicated tests, and increased medical errors. For example, when doctors lack access to a patient’s full medical history—like previous test results or medications—the chances of misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment rise significantly. It’s a system that’s failing both patients and healthcare providers. Alberta Virtual Care Coordinating Body Recommendation: The "Data Disarray: A Root Cause Analysis of Health Data Dysfunction in Canada" report calls for a nationwide health data overhaul. By prioritizing interoperability—systems that securely share health data in real time— they can ensure your information follows you wherever you go. This means fewer errors, better care outcomes, and a system designed with patients in mind. It’s time to reimagine healthcare in Canada. 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gHTBb_Xi

Digital Health Week is November 18 - 24! You may be wondering, what is Digital Health? Digital Health is a tool to be used to enhance health, wellness, care delivery and improve the healthcare system performance. Over the next week we will be sharing resources on what advancements are being made to ensure that digital health becomes part of each patients healthcare journey. Follow along with us and stay tuned for more!