By Brenda Tibingana-Ahimbisibwe Shelagh Maloney (Executive Vice President Engagement and Marketing Canada Health Infoway) opened the eHealth Virtual conference and tradeshow 2022 and welcomed all the guests and speakers. She reported that it was crucial that the eHealth conference include patients, families and caregiver voices as part of the conference so that attendees could listen […]

By Shveta Bhasker e-Health 2022 took place on June 1st and June 2nd, bringing together experts and learners in digital health from across Canada. This conference was hosted by Canada Health Infoway, Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), and Digital Health Canada. There was meaningful discussion and discourse about the future of digital health and […]

All jokes aside, Dr. Nieder mentioned a study conducted by Michael Roizen about the concept of RealAge — calculating your age based on your social determinants of health. Dr. Nieder said, “He [Roizen] determined that laughter can help us feel up to eight years younger and, consequently, live up to eight years longer.” 

I am a patient partner with focus in two areas: digital health and patient engagement. I am naturally drawn to digital health because of my tech background and am involved in initiatives in digital health. I would like to share my most notable experience to date.

The annual e-Health Conference & Tradeshow announces its sponsor symposia on digital health, taking place during the conference on June 1 and 2, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). 

“E-Health’s themes this year are especially timely because they include adoption of new technologies and virtual care, ongoing challenges in remote areas, and meeting Indigenous health needs.”

My personal experience as a long-term caregiver for loved ones led me to feel like an outsider — and at times an adversary — within the system, despite a career as a healthcare provider and educator. But I am an optimistic person who refuses to give up (or give in).

There’s often an internalized stigma when we consider ourselves patients. But the reality is, we’re all patients! From birth and beyond, we rely on our clinics, emergency departments, public health systems, and the experts.

Patient inclusion means that we are all equals and that we all have meaningful contributions to make. At e-Health, for example, patient partners are included at every step of the conference process, from membership to planning committees, to review of abstracts, and attendance as scholarship recipients.

I once read that “teachers don’t teach for the income — teachers teach for the outcome.” That is what motivates me to volunteer as a patient partner / advisor in the healthcare sector. Patient partners aren’t usually paid for their contributions and are often the only unpaid members at committees and conferences. We do this […]

Being a patient advisor has given me access to many discussions and learning opportunities, not just within my home province of Alberta. It has allowed me to gain insight into healthcare across Canada. I am able to bring a patient perspective to various panels, meetings, and projects, and experience has shown that it grounds the […]

For the past 15 years, I have been a volunteer advocate for healthcare, and in the last two years, I have been a patient advocate for the e-Health Conference. Why would I do this, and is it beneficial to improving healthcare? Yes!!! My mantra for years has been to “personalize my healthcare,” from birth to […]