Share your story, shape your care: engaging the diverse and disperse population of Northwestern Ontario in healthcare priority setting.

In 2009, the North West Local Health Integration Network hosted Share Your Story, Shape Your Care, an innovative community engagement initiative. Over 800 residents and health service providers in Northwestern Ontario participated and identified healthcare priorities, reacted to proposed strategies and shared ideas and stories. Primarily web-based (with a Choicebook, message board, blog and YouTube video), paper copies and conversation guides supported informed and reflective participation. This project enabled community-level participation in healthcare, supporting local planning and decision-making, and was awarded the inaugural Innovation Using Technology Award by the International Association for Public Participation.