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Care Opinion is an online platform where Albertans can safely and anonymously share their personal healthcare experiences. Whether it's a story from a continuing care home, a hospital visit, or a home care service, Care Opinion provides a space for people to be heard and for healthcare providers to listen and respond. By creating a transparent, respectful, and moderated environment, the platform fosters learning, strengthens community connection, and supports meaningful system change.

The platform was brought to Alberta in 2024 by Imagine Citizens Network (ICN), an Alberta-based, citizen-led organization committed to improving health and care by empowering the voices of those with lived experience. The Alberta Continuing Care Association (ACCA) is proud to be involved in the Implementation and Evaluation Committees for this important initiative. 

How It Works

Care Opinion offers a neutral, moderated space for real stories, both positive and negative, to be shared by patients, caregivers, and families. Each story is reviewed to ensure it is respectful and constructive, and then made public on the website. Healthcare providers and organizations across Alberta can subscribe to the platform to read and respond to these stories, helping them better understand the lived experiences of those they serve. 

“Care Opinion is an online platform that allows anyone at any time to come and tell their story the way they want to tell it. Our goal with Care Opinion is to contribute a story. It could be a positive story. It could be a really challenging story. It could be a tragic story. The point is, tell your story, share your lived experience, and let's see what the system can learn from this so that we can make improvement happen in Alberta.”

– Don McLeod, Executive Director, ICN

 

Who Are the Storytellers? 

The storytellers on Care Opinion are everyday Albertans - family members, patients, and caregivers - who take a moment of vulnerability and turn it into an opportunity for change. Their experiences help build a more compassionate and responsive healthcare system. Each story shared contributes to a growing library of insights that shape how care is delivered across the province. 

Who Are the Subscribers?

Subscribers to Care Opinion are organizations and professionals across Alberta's healthcare system, including continuing care operators, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and primary care networks. By engaging with stories on Care Opinion, they demonstrate a commitment to listening and responding to feedback from those directly impacted by the care they provide. 

“Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network strives to create an environment where patients can be active partners in their health care. Care Opinion gives us an additional way to connect and partner with patients.”

– Liz Deneer, Program Manager, Calgary Foothills PCN

 

How to Share Your Story

Using Care Opinion is simple! 

1. Visit www.careopinion.ca and anonymously share your healthcare experiences.
2. The story is moderated to ensure respectful and constructive feedback (learn about the moderation process).
3. Healthcare providers can read, respond, and act on shared experiences to enhance patient care. 

Care Opinion is a powerful reminder that every voice matters. By sharing your story or responding to storytellers, you can help shape a stronger, more people-centered health system in Alberta.