REGISTRATION OPEN: Putting Patients First 2026

 

Tuesday March 3, 2026

Join us in-person in Vancouver, BC, or virtually

No cost to attend

 

Register now

 

Spots are limited. We invite you to register as soon as possible to secure your spot at the event.

 

Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel
1128 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC

At the conference, we aim to:

  1. Show how the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) has made a real difference in BC’s health and health research ecosystems.
  2. Highlight the power of connection across BC’s health and research communities in driving solutions.
  3. Celebrate the conference’s legacy as a vital gathering place that brings people together across the province.

What is Putting Patients First?

 

Putting Patients First (PPF) is an annual conference hosted by the BC SUPPORT Unit, part of Michael Smith Health Research BC.

 

PPF 2026 will continue the conversation on learning communities in BC. Together, we’ll explore how bringing diverse groups of people together to solve a shared health problem — including people with lived and living experience — can improve health and health research ecosystems.

 

This event is being organized and developed with Patients Included™ principles. Visit our FAQs to learn more about Patients Included™.

Logo for Patients Included, which is the words "Patients Included" with a red checkmark

What are learning communities?

 

Learning communities are groups of people with shared interests and goals, multiple perspectives, experiences, and expertise that meaningfully collaborate to solve health and health system problems.

 

Explore learning communities.

Latest updates

  • Registration open: Join us in-person or online on March 3, 2026. Register now.
  • FAQ now available: Find out answers to frequently asked questions. View FAQ.

 

This webpage is updated on an ongoing basis.

Keynote speaker: Dr. Antoine Boivin, MD, PhD

Antoine is a primary care physician and the co-director of the Canada Research Chair in Partnership with Patients and Communities. He dedicates his life to fostering relationships between people, communities and health systems.

 

For the past two decades, Antoine’s clinical practice, research, and teaching are conducted in partnership with people and communities. His research and clinical team include people facing chronic and mental health challenges, people with lived experience of homelessness, Indigenous navigators, migrants, youths and elders.

 

In recent years, Antoine has facilitated local and international collaboration on social participation in health, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and partners from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

 

Antoine is passionate about how music, storytelling and nature can strengthen our communities, nurture caring relationships within and around ourselves, and help us learn from our differences.

 

Keynote speaker: Sarah Greene, MPH

Sarah is a Senior Advisor, Research Advocate, and Consultant with recent engagements supporting the National Academy of Medicine, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the National Cancer Institute, and Kaiser Permanente. With a 30-year career in health care research, strategy, and communication, she combines scientific expertise with a commitment to improving health and health care experiences for all.

 

Much of Sarah’s career focused on building productive and sustainable national research networks in the areas of cancer, aging, and communication. She applies her versatile skillset on a range of topics including patient-centered care, evidence mobilization, team science, and community engagement, and is a recognized international leader in understanding how to bridge research and care delivery using a learning health systems approach. Her perspectives on health system transformation are informed by her recent experience with a cancer diagnosis and successful treatment in a community-based oncology practice.

 

An accomplished writer and speaker with more than 180 publications and invited presentations, Sarah has presented her work at the National Academies, American College of Cardiology, Mayo Clinic, American Medical Informatics Organization, PCORI, and numerous other organizations.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Who can attend Putting Patients First 2026?

Putting Patients First is for everyone interested in improving health care or the health system.

 

This includes:

  • Physicians, allied healthcare professionals, and health system staff
  • Patients, caregivers, people with lived or living experience, and communities
  • Researchers and trainees
  • Health system leaders, decision-makers and policymakers

Are there opportunities to submit an abstract or present my work?

For Putting Patients First 2026, we are not accepting abstracts for presentations or posters. If you are still interested in attending as a participant, we encourage you to register.

How can I attend the event? Will it be in-person or virtual?

The event will take place in-person in Vancouver, BC, and virtually.

 

Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel
1128 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/yvrdt-vancouver-marriott-pinnacle-downtown-hotel/overview/

Will the sessions be recorded?

Photography, audio or video recording will take place in all designated conference spaces. Some conference sessions will be recorded and made available following the event. Read the AV notice.

More details will be available closer to the event date.

What is a Patients Included™ conference?

Patient Included™ was an initiative started by patient Lucien Engelen. It aims to ensure patient experiences and insights are meaningfully included into organizational work, including events.

For a conference to be Patients Included™, it must meet the five criteria below in a self-assessment:

 

  1. Patients or caregivers with experience relevant to the conference’s central theme actively participate in the design and planning of the event, including the selection of themes, topics and speakers.
  2. Patients or caregivers with experience of the issues addressed by the event participate in its delivery, and appear in its physical audience.
  3. Travel and accommodation expenses for patients or carers participating in the advertised programme are paid in full, in advance. Scholarships are provided by the conference organisers to allow patients or carers affected by the relevant issues to attend as delegates.
  4. The disability requirements of participants are accommodated. All applicable sessions, breakouts, ancillary meetings, and other programme elements are open to patient delegates.
  5. Access for virtual participants is facilitated, with free streaming video provided online wherever possible.

 

To learn more, visit the Patients Included™ website.

How is Putting Patients First 2026 a Patients Included™ event?

Putting Patients First 2026 meets the following requirements:

Patients or caregivers with experience relevant to the conference’s central theme actively participate in the design and planning of the event, including the selection of themes, topics and speakers Patient partners are actively involved in the design and planning event, through advisory committees and working groups. Their lived experience shapes the event rollout, including the day’s events and activities.
Patients or caregivers with experience of the issues addressed by the event participate in its delivery, and appear in its physical audience Patients and people with lived experience will be part of the event program and will also join as audience members.
Travel and accommodation expenses for patients or carers participating in the advertised programme are paid in full, in advance. Scholarships are provided by the conference organisers to allow patients or carers affected by the relevant issues to attend as delegates Patient partners who are part of the Patient Partner Network with the BC SUPPORT Unit, or who are involved in presenting at or planning Putting Patients First 2026, will receive travel and accommodations in advance of the event, as delegates to the event.
The disability requirements of participants are accommodated. All applicable sessions, breakouts, ancillary meetings, and other programme elements are open to patient delegates All sessions and parts of the event program are open to patients and the public. When a participant registers for the event, they can also share their accommodation needs with the event planning team, whether in the physical or virtual space.

We’re very excited to work with a diverse advisory council throughout every stage of the event, from planning to execution, to ensure that equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as Indigenous cultural safety, are centered and that the event reflects the needs and requirements of people with lived and living experience. We’re grateful for their expertise.
Access for virtual participants is facilitated, with free streaming video provided online wherever possible Conference sessions will be streamed online, free of charge. Virtual attendees will be able to ask questions and participate in sessions.

 

Is this a fragrance-free event?

Yes. Please refrain from wearing cologne, perfume or other scented products.

Is the conference free to attend?

Yes. There is no charge to attend, in-person or virtually.

Where can I learn about previous years of Putting Patients First?

View past event recordings.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please email us at ppf@healthresearchbc.ca.

Contact us

  • Questions?

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    ppf@healthresearchbc.ca

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2024 conference highlights

Robert Reid speaking into a microphone, while holding up a laser pointer.

 

“Learning health systems is about partnerships. It’s about partnerships between care systems and researchers. It’s about bringing patients – their experiences, their aspirations – into the centre.”

 

– Robert Reid, during his keynote on actioning learning health systems

Kerry Kuluski speaking at a microphone.

“Remember these two words: collective impact. We can’t do this alone. We can do so much more together than we can independently.”

 

– Kerry Kuluski, during her session on engaging learning health systems

Two poster presenters from Putting Patients First 2024, talking about their poster, which is digitally displayed on a TV screen.

A poster presenter talks about their project during the interactive Poster Showcase.

 

 

A table of attendees from Putting Patients First 2024, in the arts-based activity room. On the table in front of them are folded origami hats.

Attendees engage in an interactive arts-based activity that demonstrates the many roles we play in our lives.

2024 photo gallery

Conference galvanizes a movement for patient-oriented research in BC

 

Over 500 people joined the Putting Patients First 2024 conference in Vancouver on November 14.

 

The Putting Patients First conference brought together over 500 people from BC and beyond to learn about collaborating for health improvement.

 

Putting Patients First 2024 was the sixth annual conference focused on patient-oriented research in BC. Over 420 people registered for the event, 333 people joined in-person with an additional 174 online.

 

“The Putting Patients First conference is a flagship event for patient-oriented research in BC,” says Monica Mamut, unit director, BC SUPPORT Unit. “Everyone who attended is part of a community that prioritizes patients, communities and the public in health research. I’m grateful the conference connected people and shared new ideas to make lasting changes in the health system.”

 

This year’s theme was ‘building learning communities.’ The conference goal was to advance learning communities to improve health and health research ecosystems.

 

Highlights included a keynote address by Dr. Robert Reid from the Institute for Better Health, who spoke on the urgency of adopting learning health systems in BC and across Canada. Dr. Kerry Kuluski from the University of Toronto shared how she helped hospital teams use a learning health systems approach.

 

Three interactive rooms offered spaces for collaboration and sharing ideas. In one room, attendees played a card game that allowed participants to solve challenges in patient-oriented research. Another room used the arts to integrate lived experience into learning communities. A third room featured learning health systems projects from across BC.

 

An outstanding 90 abstracts were submitted to Putting Patients First. Of these, 55 were selected to display posters at the conference. Three of these teams were selected to provided oral presentations. One team received the POR Champion award, provided in honour of Pat Atherton who was a champion for patient-oriented research in BC. Congratulations to the team presenting “Project IMPACT (Include Messaging for Patients and Care Teams): Patient Centered Care in Paediatric Type 1 Diabetes Using Texting-Spreading in Interior Health.”

 

Watch the presentation recordings on our YouTube channel.

 

View more conference highlights.

 

The BC SUPPORT Unit, part of Michael Smith Health Research BC, is hosting the annual Putting Patients First conference.