Patients are those with personal experience of a health issue, as well as their informal caregivers, including family and friends. Patients may be community representatives, individuals from patient organizations or others who have experience with an illness or the health system.

Patients are partners on patient-oriented research teams, helping to set research priorities, evaluate and conduct research, and contribute to all areas of research through every stage of the project.

Different organizations may use different terminology, such as Patient Family Advisor, Resident Family Partners, People with Lived Experience or Patient Partners. Whatever the term, they are valued members of a patient-oriented research team. They offer a unique perspective and provide an essential piece of the research puzzle. Where a patient participant is a subject of research, a Patient Partner is a partner in research.

Communities can be Patient Partners. In partnership with the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre (IPHRC), SCPOR highlights the importance of Indigenous Communities as part of patient-oriented research. Knowledge Keepers and Elders are held in high regard and their knowledge provides essential learnings to ensure Indigenous culture is respected and protocol followed.