---
title: "Advisor-Centred Engagement: The SickKids Model for Patient, Family and Community Integration"
id: "bmj-open-1-integration-of-the-patient-caregiver-and-community-voice-into-paediatric-care"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/bmj-open-1-integration-of-the-patient-caregiver-and-community-voice-into-paediatric-care"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "Pediatrics"
source_name: "BMJ Open"
source_url: "http://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/16/8/e106535?rss=1"
published_at: "2026-08-28T09:38:04.000Z"
evidence_level: "Journal Feed"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Advisor-Centred Engagement: The SickKids Model for Patient, Family and Community Integration
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/bmj-open-1-integration-of-the-patient-caregiver-and-community-voice-into-paediatric-care
- **Specialty:** [Pediatrics](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pediatrics.md)
- **Primary Source:** BMJ Open
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](http://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/16/8/e106535?rss=1)
- **Published At:** 2026-08-28T09:38:04.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Journal Feed
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- The SickKids Model of **advisor-centred engagement** was developed to centralise and scale patient, family and community voices across clinical care, education and research at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). - Prior to the model, engagement activities at SickKids were siloed and inconsistent, limiting meaningful partnerships and institutional learning. - The model was designed after reviewing existing frameworks and conducting extensive stakeholder consultations, and it established a central Office of Patient, Family and Community Engagement. - Core priorities are advisor-centredness, efficiency, sustainability and scalability to support meaningful collaborations across the institution. - Key infrastructure includes an **Engagement Incubator** for training, knowledge sharing and capacity building, plus centralised resources for onboarding, honouraria and engagement processes. - During the Office’s first year, it supported multiple engagement activities, developed inclusive policies and provided training to staff and advisors. - Implementation metrics are under development and focus on reach, satisfaction, capacity building and contributions to patient-oriented research methodology. - Early learnings underscore the need for institutional commitment, dedicated resources and cross-departmental collaboration to embed engagement systemically. - Ongoing challenges include rising demand for engagement support and the need to develop robust evaluation metrics to assess impact. - The SickKids Model aims to move engagement beyond project-level efforts toward a coordinated, scalable and sustainable institutional framework that could inform other healthcare organizations.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
Background Patient engagement within healthcare institutions is growing, with studies outlining its relevance and impact on clinical care, education and research. Literature exists on the engagement of patients in specific contexts; however, articles on engagement models, which centralise these practices at the institutional level, are limited. This article addresses that gap by describing the development and implementation of the SickKids Model of Advisor-Centred Engagement, an institution-wide approach to integrating the voices of patients, families and communities across clinical care, education and research at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Historically, engagement practices at SickKids were siloed and inconsistent, thus limiting the potential for meaningful partnerships. To address these challenges and drawing on existing frameworks and extensive stakeholder consultations, the SickKids Model of Advisor-Centred Engagement and a centralised Office of Patient, Family and Community Engagement were established. Main body The SickKids Model prioritises advisor-centredness, efficiency, sustainability and scalability to foster meaningful collaborations across the institution. Core elements include the Engagement Incubator, a space for training, knowledge sharing and capacity building, along with centralised resources to streamline advisor onboarding, honourarium processes and engagement practices. During its first year of operations, the Office has supported numerous engagement activities, developed inclusive policies and offered training to staff and advisors. Metrics to assess implementation and impact are being developed, including measures of engagement reach, satisfaction, capacity building and methodological contributions to patient-oriented research practice. Learnings to date highlight the importance of institutional commitment, dedicated resources and cross-departmental collaboration in embedding engagement at a systemic level. Challenges remain, including managing increasing demands for engagement support and developing robust evaluation metrics. Conclusion The SickKids Model of Advisor-Centred Engagement moves engagement beyond project-level approaches to the implementation of an institution-wide framework for coordinated, scalable and sustainable engagement across clinical care, education and research. Initial findings suggest that implementation of a centralised infrastructure can support cross-domain learning, reduce fragmentation and strengthen organisational capacity for meaningful engagement. This model may serve as a blueprint for healthcare institutions looking to embed engagement practices at the organisational level, thereby ensuring that lived experiences inform clinical care, education and research.
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