Accountability

  1. We expect open and seamless communication about our care.
  2. We expect that everyone on our care team will be accountable and supported to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively.
  3. We expect a health care culture that demonstrates that it values the experiences of patients, families and caregivers and incorporates this knowledge into policy, planning and decision making.
  4. We expect that patient, family and caregiver experiences and outcomes will drive the accountability of the health care system and those who deliver services, programs and care within it.
  5. We expect that health care providers will act with integrity by acknowledging their abilities, biases and limitations.
  6. We expect health care providers to comply with their professional responsibilities and to deliver safe care.

Empathy and Compassion

  1. We expect that health care providers will act with empathy, kindness and compassion.
  2. We expect individualized care plans that acknowledge our unique physical, mental, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs.
  3. We expect that we will be treated in a manner free from stigma, assumptions, bias and blame.
  4. We expect health care system providers and leaders will understand that their words, actions and decisions strongly impact the lives of patients, families and caregivers.

Equity and Engagement

  1. We expect equal and fair access to the health care system and services for all regardless of ability, race, ethnicity, language, background, place of origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, socioeconomic status, education or location within Ontario. We further expect equal and fair access to health care services for people with disabilities and those who have historically faced stigmatization.
  2. We expect that we will have opportunities to be included in health care policy development and program design at local, regional and provincial levels of the health care system.
  3. We expect an awareness of and efforts to eliminate systemic racism and discrimination, including identification and removal of systemic barriers that contribute to inequitable health care outcomes (with particular attention to those most adversely impacted by systemic racism).

Respect and Dignity

  1. We expect that our individual identity, beliefs, history, culture and ability will be respected in our care.
  2. We expect health care providers will introduce themselves and identify their role in our care.
  3. We expect that we will be recognized as part of the care team, to be fully informed about our condition, and have the right to make choices in our care.
  4. We expect that patients, families and caregivers be treated with respect and considered valuable partners on the care team.
  5. We expect that our personal health information belongs to us, and that it remain private, respected and protected.

Transparency

  1. We expect that we will be proactively and meaningfully involved in conversations about our care, considering options for our care, and decisions about our care.
  2. We expect that our health records will be accurate, complete, available and accessible across the provincial health system at our request.
  3. We expect a transparent, clear and fair process to express a complaint, concern, or compliment about our care that does not impact the quality of the care we receive.

Updated: July 2021

Note: The purpose of this Patient, Family and Caregiver Declaration of Values for Ontario, drafted by the Minister’s Patient and Family Advisory Council in consultation with Ontarians, is to articulate patient, family and caregiver expectations of Ontario’s health care system. The Declaration is intended to serve as a compass for the individuals and organizations who are involved in health care and reflects a summary of the principles and values that patients, families and caregivers say are important to them. The Declaration is not intended to establish, alter or affect any legal rights or obligations, and must be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with applicable law.