Public engagement in Ontario's hospitals--opportunities and challenges.

The Excellent Care for All Act strengthens the accountability of healthcare provider organizations to the public. However, the ways in which healthcare organizations have engaged the public have often been limited. There are a number of organizations and approaches described in this paper that have exceeded existing public governance and input processes by involving, engaging and partnering with the public. Their processes range from engaging with patients to improve the quality, safety and appropriateness of healthcare services to approaches that strengthen organizational decision making and strategic planning.