The Summit

The annual Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada Summit is an initiative led by Save Your Skin Foundation in collaboration with the Psoriasis Canada (PsoCan) and an Indigenous volunteer from Kiyasiw Consulting. It provides opportunities for patients, caregivers, and patient advocates and representatives from diverse disease and disability groups to come together to discuss a shared vision for healthcare in Canada. This year’s theme is Meeting people where they’re at: Transforming Health Care to Meet the Needs of All, a Multi-Faceted Response.

Learn about the summit's objectives and goals...

Enhance participants’ knowledge about health, social determinants of health in and associated systems in Canada, and their impacts on key populations to support greater equity and inclusion addressing Canada’s diversity; Create synergies and recognition of common issues across patient groups and other healthcare stakeholders; Engage policymakers and foster collaboration between patient communities and other relevant groups, including researchers, government, non-governmental agencies and other partners; and Support conversations about how patients can influence policy and design to build the health systems they deserve.

Thank you for attending the 9th Annual Patients Redefining the Future of Healthcare in Canada 2024 Summit!

9th annual hybrid Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada Summit

Meeting People Where They’re At: Transforming Health Care to Meet the Needs of All, a Multi-Faceted Approach, the 9th Annual Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada Summit, will be held in a hybrid format (in-person in Toronto and online) from November 19th-21st, 2024. This annual patient education and awareness Summit is a joint project between Save Your Skin Foundation and the Psoriasis Canada (PsoCan), in collaboration with partners in Indigenous Health.

The Summit is officially on social media! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X today to stay up to date!

View the 2024 Summit agenda

The Summit recordings are now available!

Day 1

Day 2

Summit Speakers - Day 1

Summit Speakers - Day 2

Pre-Summit Webinars

Each year in the months leading up to the Summit, the organizers offer a series of webinars. Each Webinar features a variety of experts and discusses a different topic.

WEBINAR 1: Melanin Myths - Black Skin Misconceptions

Join us for a pre-Summit webinar leading up to the 9th Annual Patients Redefining the Future in Canada Summit, in collaboration with the Health Association of African Canadians and Dr. Yinka Akin-Deko, a Family Physician with a focus on dermatology. This session will debunk common myths about Black skin, highlight health disparities, and explore the unique dermatological needs of people with darker skin tones. Gain valuable insights into culturally competent care in dermatology ahead of the main Summit event.

WEBINAR 2: The complex health systems for drug approvals in Canada

Curious about how drug approvals work in Canada? Don’t miss our exclusive pre-Summit webinar, "The Complex Health Systems for Drug Approvals in Canada", featuring renowned advocate Louise Binder. With over 25 years of experience, Louise has been a trailblazer in health policy, first in HIV advocacy and now as a leader in oncology with the Save Your Skin Foundation.

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Working Groups

The Summit has developed three ongoing working groups: the Integrated Models of Care (IMOC) working group, the Health Data working group, and the Patient-Report Outcome Models (PROMs) working group.

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8th Annual Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada - 2023

Meeting People Where They’re At: Modernizing Health Care to Meet the Needs of All, the 8th Annual Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada Summit, was held virtually during the week of November 13th, 2023. This annual patient education and awareness Summit is a joint project between Save Your Skin Foundation and the Psoriasis Canada (PsoCan), in collaboration with partners in Indigenous Health.

Here’s a look at the keynotes and panelists from last year!

Summit Recordings

View Full Summit Summary

Day 1: Challenges to meeting people where they're at

WATCH VIDEO

DESCRIPTION:

On Day 1 (November 13th, 2023) we honed in on the social and structural determinants of health, and the impact on health outcomes, especially accessing the health care system for conditions that patients may have.

Day 3: Opportunities to modernize healthcare to meet the needs of all

WATCH VIDEO

DESCRIPTION:

Day 3 focused on the fundamental shifts in our healthcare systems required to give people the opportunity to address the challenges that were talked about in Day 1 and 2. It also focused on the importance of creating healthcare systems to “Meet people where they’re at,” specifically, integrating co-design and the concept of “nothing about us without us,” in all aspects of health care and social care, the critical role of data and the notion we heard from Dr. Mackenzie from two Summits ago that: “If you don’t get counted, you don’t count,” and themes of mental health and team-based care that weave through much of what was talked about in days 1 and 2.

Day 4: Patient Planning Session - Restricted to patients/caregivers and related groups

DESCRIPTION:

Day 4 is a dedicated planning day restricted to patients, caregivers and patient/caregiver/citizen groups. This is an action planning conversation based on the themes from this year’s event and what the Summit working groups (PROMs/PREMs, Data, Integrated Models of Care) have been working on over the past year.

You can view the full playlist here