For over 35 years, HealthPartners has brought workplaces, health charities and the communities of people with lived experience they serve together under one shared purpose – to improve the lives of those affected by illness. The HealthPartners Health Advisory Network is an online community initiative by HealthPartners designed to elevate the voice of people with lived experience in shaping Canada’s healthcare future. Grounded in the belief that better outcomes start with listening to patients and caregivers, the Network connects individuals who have experienced illness—or cared for someone who has—with learnings poised to influence donors and decision makers to help build a healthier Canada for us all.
Through this initiative, HealthPartners created a structured and accessible way for Canadians to contribute their perspectives virtually— ensuring that those most affected by healthcare decisions are meaningfully involved in shaping them. By bridging the gap between people with lived experiences and the health ecosystem, the Health Advisory Network offers a scalable model for embedding patient insight into system design and evaluation.
Our presentation will highlight how the Network operationalizes patient engagement at scale and share early learnings from our recent findings - highlighting the experiences of over 400 individuals who are part of this network. It will also explore the impact of integrating patient voices into decision-making — from improving the relevance of solutions to building greater trust and accountability across the healthcare system.
Presented by:
Shauna Almas, Chief Purpose Officer
Shauna Almas is the Chief Impact Officer at HealthPartners, a purpose-motivated leader passionate about improving the health and well-being of Canadians. With an intentionally unconventional career spanning commercial, public, and not-for-profit sectors, she brings a unique blend of business acumen and mission-driven leadership.
Shauna began her career in the life sciences industry, gaining cross-functional expertise in regulatory affairs, sales, and marketing. In the latter half of her career, she has applied that experience to the not-for-profit health sector to drive revenue growth and strategic partnerships nationally.
She also finds deep fulfillment in serving her community – currently volunteering as a leader with her daughter’s Girl Guides unit and serving on the Board of Directors for her local hospital foundation.
With a consultative, collaborative style, she lives by the African proverb: "Alone, we go faster. Together, we go further."
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