Office of the Patient Experience (Patient Relations)
» Opening Soon: Introducing the MySunnybrook Experience Centre
The new MySunnybrook Experience Centre is a dedicated one-stop shop that serves as a centralized location for patients, families and the community to find resources and information about the hospital’s services. It will enhance the overall experience at Sunnybrook by streamlining and simplifying support for non-clinical aspects of care and will officially open in Summer 2024 and is located by the Gift Shop on M1 at the Bayview campus.
» Digital Patient Experience Survey
If you have been cared for and discharged from our emergency department, or one of several acute inpatient units at our Bayview campus, you may receive an email survey link. If you choose to participate in this survey, your advice and feedback will help inform the care and services we provide to future patients and families. Learn more.
We welcome feedback about your Sunnybrook experience such as compliments, concerns and questions. You may have heard the term Patient Relations, Patient Advocacy and/or Patient Ombudsman; Sunnybrook’s Office of the Patient Experience serves the role of these functions.
Compliments
We invite you to share your positive experiences about your or a family member's time at Sunnybrook. A compliment or kind word is meaningful for our staff to hear and we appreciate hearing a good story. We have a staff recognition program, so please let us know if we may share your name with hospital staff when we let them know they have met or exceeded your expectations.
Concerns
If you, your caregiver or family member of a patient has a concern, we are required to have the patient’s consent and their permission to share their name. We encourage you to speak with a member of the healthcare team, ask to speak with the Charge Nurse, Team Leader, Supervisor or Patient Care Manager.
If the staff have been unable to help address and/or resolve your concerns, you are welcome to contact the Office of the Patient Experience for assistance. Please be assured the healthcare or service you are receiving will not be negatively affected in any way.
We can speak with any patient, family member or visitor of Sunnybrook. If we need to look into any specific health care concerns, we need to speak with the patient. If the patient is not able to speak with us, we will speak with their Substitute Decision Maker, Power of Attorney for Personal Care or the Executor of the Estate.
What information do I need to share when submitting my complaint or compliment?
- The nature of your complaint/compliment – What happened?
- Short description of your experience
- The name(s) of the person(s) involved and their role – Who is involved? Full names are helpful.
- Patient's first and last name (as it appears on their health card)
- Your first and last name (if you are not the patient)
- Sunnybrook staff involved, and their role
- When and where the issue happened – Specifics and details lead to a more effective outcome.
- Date and time
- Sunnybrook campus, unit, department and/or clinic
- If you are not the patient, confirmation the patient is aware of concerns brought forward, or confirmation you are the substitute decision maker. This is in keeping with provincial legislation which protects personal health information.
- Specify your relationship to the patient
- Contact information
- How and where would you like to be contacted?
- Consent
- If you are not the patient, please confirm the patient is aware you are contacting our office and has provided you with their consent to share their name.
Generally, what can I expect when I bring forward a complaint?
» Our complaints process in five steps
View a plain-text version of the infographic
The complaints process at Sunnybrook
How our complaints process works, explained in 5 steps
- Patient, family, and visitor complaints can be made in person or by phone, letter, email or fax.
- Patient consent is required prior to reviewing a complaint.
- A Patient Experience Advisor will collaborate with the health care team or department(s) and review relevant hospital documents.
- The complaint is reviewed with supervisor/manager/physician to facilitate.
- The patient/family/SDM is contacted in response to the complaint.
The Office of the Patient Experience (OPE) can also help with
- Positive Feedback – we collect and share your compliments with staff, supervisors, physicians and Senior Leadership
- Consultations – we will help discuss, review and provide advice about patient experience issues you may be having on your unit or in your department
- Coaching – we will develop customer service training sessions to meet your needs
- Support – we will attend or facilitate a family meeting or connect with a patient/family in a department or on a unit as needed
- Initiatives – we will assist with your team’s patient experience improvement projects
- Navigation – we will help with general questions you may have about your Sunnybrook care pathway and to help understand the Ontario health system
I have lost a personal item
Sunnybrook is not responsible for patient and visitor belongings. Please do not bring valuables into the hospital — this includes, but is not limited to, cash, jewelry, keys, electronic devices, watches, belts, clothing, footwear, etc.
We understand a hospital visit is often unplanned. Be sure to pass your valuables to a friend or family member for safekeeping while you are in the hospital.
For assistive devices such as glasses, dentures, hearing aids and mobility devices while we are also not responsible for their safekeeping, here are some steps for you or your loved one to take:
- Label all of your personal belongings — for example, glasses, dentures, hearing aids, mobility devices. If your lost property is found it can be returned to you.
- Ask your denture provider for ways to label your dentures.
- Bring a labeled container for your assistive devices and ensuring you can easily access it
- If you are caring for a patient or resident who is at risk for losing personal belongings, inform the care providers and review ways together to help prevent this.
- If you notice a personal belonging is missing, report this immediately to staff and ask for help locating the item and when it was last seen.
Were small items given to Security for safekeeping?
Visit Security located in CG-03, or call 416-480-6100 ext. 64589 to retrieve your belongings.
Frequently asked questions
- I have a question about Parking.
- How do I get a paper copy of my health record?
- How can I access my health record online?
- I would like to arrange for an interpreter for an appointment; how do I do this?
- I'd like more information about repatriation.
- Please explain private vs. semi-private vs. ward hospital room accommodations.
- Where can I buy food?
- Can I buy flowers for a patient?
Please choose a campus below to view contact information
Bayview Campus (2075 Bayview Ave.), St. John’s Rehab (285 Cummer Ave.), & Reactivation Care Centre (200 Church St.)
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Email:
patient.experience@sunnybrook.ca
*Please read "What Information to I need to Share" above before submitting email
Phone:
416-480-4940
Our offices are open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. We are closed on statutory holidays and weekends. If you are calling outside of these hours, please leave a message with your name and contact information, please speak slowly and carefully. Your call will be returned on our next business day.
Mail:
Office of the Patient Experience
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Avenue, Room C161
Toronto, ON M4N 3M5
*Tip: Please read "what Information do I need to share" above before sending your letter.
Veterans Centre
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Contact the Office of the Resident and Family Experience
Our offices are open between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Email:
veterans.experience@sunnybrook.ca
Phone:
416-480-6107
Mail:
Office of the Resident & Family Experience
Sunnybrook Veterans Centre
2075 Bayview Avenue, Room LG05h
Toronto, ON M4N 3M5
Holland Centre (43 Wellesley St. East)
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Our offices are open between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Email:
patient.experience@sunnybrook.ca
*Please read "What Information to I need to Share" above before submitting email
Phone:
416-967-8566
Mail:
The Social Work Office/ Office of the Patient Experience
Holland Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
43 Wellesley Street East
Toronto, ON M4Y 1H1
*Please read "What Information to I need to Share" above before sending mail
