Albertans have joined the conversation!

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Find out what Albertans have shared about their healthcare experiences

In October 2022, CPSA launched a microsite aimed at starting conversations with Albertans about their healthcare experiences. An offshoot of cpsa.ca, the microsite is known as our “Conversations” website and can be accessed at conversations.cpsa.ca.

Why did we create this site?

Hearing directly from the patients we’re mandated to protect is a valuable and meaningful way to ensure we’re on the right track and making regulatory decisions in the best interest of Albertans. The Conversations website is an informal way for patients to talk about their healthcare experiences, both positive and constructive, in a safe space for discussion, sharing and learning.

Each week, we ask a question inviting patients to comment with their thoughts, perspectives and experiences. When we receive a comment, we reply in a timely manner to help keep the conversation going, learn more about the patient’s experience or connect them to our Customer Experience team for support.

CPSA’s team moderates comments to ensure a respectful environment and that personal or identifying information about patients and physicians is not made public on the Conversations site.

What we’ve heard

In general, most patients who have commented on our Conversations site have similar thoughts about what they want from and value most in interactions with their physicians:

• Feeling heard and not being interrupted
• Having their physician spend adequate time with them
• Being asked the right questions and having their physician uncover the root of the issue versus looking only at the symptoms
• Having a physician with good bedside manner who shows they’re listening

Albertans have also commented to share their concerns surrounding system inefficiencies, struggles with access to care, lack of cultural competency amongst healthcare workers and healthcare concerns not being taken seriously.

In addition to the qualitative data captured through the Conversations site, CPSA also participated in an omnibus survey of close to 1,000 Albertans in December 2022. The results from the survey suggest that, overall, patients in Alberta are satisfied with the care they’re receiving from Alberta’s physicians.

• 77% of respondents strongly agree their doctor asks for consent before doing anything uncomfortable
• 68% of respondents strongly agree their doctor takes their concerns seriously
• 57% of respondents strongly disagree that their doctor rushes them through their appointment and doesn’t take time to listen
• 68% of respondents strongly disagree that their doctor doesn’t explain what they’re doing during an exam.

Physicians can join the conversation, too!

Keep an eye on Facebook, Twitter and conversations.cpsa.ca for the latest conversation prompts, and head to our Conversations site to participate!