What is a patient-oriented learning health system?

A patient-oriented learning health system is centered on people with lived and living experience, their families, and communities. Learning health systems focus on putting evidence into practice in ways that can improve people’s health care and experiences in BC.

Learning health systems:
• Establish processes to support ongoing and routine improvement
• Collect data at all stages, and regularly review and analyze this data to help improve care
• Partner with patients to identify areas where change will make a meaningful difference.

Why do we need a patient-oriented learning health system?

Patients receive better care when health systems prioritize patient experiences when putting research evidence into practice.
That’s why the BC SUPPORT Unit champions the participation of people with lived and living experience and communities in research and improves ways to put this research evidence into practice.

How can the BC SUPPORT Unit help?

We help health systems meet the needs of people in BC by:
• Helping teams engage with diverse patients and communities to improve health research evidence
• Helping teams access, use and analyze data for continuous learning to help improve practice
• Helping care providers put the latest evidence into practice

The BC SUPPORT Unit consults directly with health authority teams to support improvement of publicly funded health services that are cost-effective, evidence-based, equitable, and respond to patient needs.

View resources on learning health systems

Read our FAQ for health authorities on learning health systems