Personal Health Navigator
As a journalist, I would hear stories from patients struggling to navigate the health-care system. To some, it seemed a daunting task that came at a time when they were least able to handle it. Patients wanted to be active - not passive recipients - in their care.
In my new role as manager of community engagement and patient navigation for Sunnybrook, I will provide advice to patients and their families through a new online column called Personal Health Navigator, a unique new service available at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, which recognizes the importance of learning from patients.
The question and answer column will run weekly on the Sunnybrook website and will appear regularly in this newsletter. In it, patients set the editorial calendar by sending their questions to AskLisa@sunnybrook.ca. I will answer their questions, relying heavily on medical and health experts. This is an opportunity for patients to drill down deep for the inner workings of one of Canada's biggest hospitals. But it can also answer those practical questions patients never knew who to ask, such as how to prepare for a relative's discharge from hospital, what should you be looking for when returning home, and many other areas. The purpose of the column is to provide advice but it also helps us learn what patients need. I see it as the beginning of an important conversation.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Lisa Priest
Manager, Community Engagement & Patient Navigation
