Patient Relations

Who we are

The Office of Patient Relations is responsible for investigating and resolving conflicts between patients and healthcare providers as well as sharing positive patient experiences with the appropriate members of your healthcare team.

We value your feedback

At Patient Relations, we aim to educate the public on the intricacies of Nunavut’s health care system and proactively address any issues, concerns and questions that arise. Our goal is to improve the patient experience along the health care journey in which we all travel together.

We welcome any suggestions, feedback or concerns that you have on how to make your relationship with us more comfortable. We use this information to improve the quality of communication and care for you and all future patients. Feel free to speak with any member of your care team, or contact us directly at Patient Relations. We would love to hear from you.

Who are Our Patients?

Our patients are any person that has received care, advice or service from an employee or contractor of the Department of Health (DH).

What we do

• Provide a confidential place for you and your family to discuss your health care experience
• Respectfully listen to your feedback about your health care experience
• Provide information and assist patients and families in navigating the health care system
• Help those with questions related to the rights of the patient, or concerns about care and services
• Provide advice on conflict resolution for patients, families and hospital personnel
• Share your experience with the appropriate members of your healthcare team
• Investigate patient concerns and provide conclusions in a timely manner
• Make recommendations to improve patient care following investigation of a concern

Our Commitment

You can expect us to:

• Listen to and respect feedback, suggestions and concerns from patients, their families and the health care team
• Communicate patient feedback, suggestions and concerns to appropriate members of the health care team
• Answer questions about services, policies and procedures
• Support a confidential, courteous and respectful environment

Filing an Official Concern

What is a Concern?

While the DH strives to provide the best possible care, you might believe:

• You have not received the service you wanted or needed
• You were not listened to
• You were not respected

Complaints may be about any care or service provided in or outside of Nunavut by any staff or contracted health provider of the Department of Health. The care or service may have been provided at a health centre, hospital, residential care home, boarding home, Non-Insured Health Benefit (NIHB) dental office, or within any of our health services.

The investigation process may include disclosure of personal identifiable information related to your health records. The process time can vary depending on the severity of the issue.

What if I want to share positive feedback or a good story?

We want to hear about positive experiences, too! We will use this information to highlight the work of our care providers and will share it with the appropriate individuals.

Filing a Concern - 3 step procedure

Step 1 Bring the issue to the attention of those closest to your care – the nurses, physicians or other staff looking after you. In many cases, these individuals have the greatest knowledge about your situation and are able to respond to your concerns quickly and efficiently.

Step 2 If you are unable to resolve your concern at the point of care, ask to speak with the manager of the unit or service area where you were located. The manager will contact you and set up at a time that is convenient to discuss your concerns.

Step 3 If you remain unsatisfied after speaking with the health centre manager, please contact us at the office of Patient Relations and we will be happy to help with your concerns.

You can submit your concerns via telephone, email, posted letter, in person, or by completing a standardized downloadable form found below, and sending it back to us through whatever channel is most convenient for you. Please address all concerns to:

Territorial Manager of Patient Relations, Office of Patient Relations
Department of Health
P.O. Box 1000, Station 1050
Iqaluit, Nunavut
X0A 0H0

Tel: 867-975-5703
Toll Free: 1-855-438-3003
Fax: 867-975-5388 
Email: @email

Links:

2021 Office of Patient Relations Annual Report
2020 Office of Patient Relations Annual Report
Feedback Form
Office of Patient Relations Brochure
Office of Patient Relations Poster