Patient Experience

CHEO's Patient Experience team is here for you. We provide a safe space for you to voice your comments, suggestions and concerns and work with you to resolve them. Our aim is to make sure that all of your feedback, both positive and negative, is heard and used to improve care at CHEO.

What we can do for you:

Review any issues around your child’s care and do our best to resolve conflict.
Help you understand your rights and CHEO's policies and procedures.
Answer your questions about hospital processes, and the services and resources available to you.
Support you if you are participating in a Care Review.
Make sure your voice is heard.

When should you contact our office

When you have a concern, compliment or other feedback to share.
When you need help communicating with your health-care team.
When you would like further follow-up and do not feel satisfied after expressing your concerns to the health-care team.

We are open Monday-Friday, from 8:30am-4:30pm

Getting in touch with a patient and family representative

Your feedback is important to us!
Patient Experience is excited to be starting with a new survey vendor in 2023! While we transition to our new vendor, there will be a pause in our email surveys that we send to randomly selected patients and families after their inpatient, outpatient or Emergency Department visit.

We encourage any patients and families who would like to share feedback on their recent stay or visit to CHEO to reach out to our Patient Experience team using the contact information below. Your feedback, both positive and negative, is heard and used to enhance care at CHEO.

Line art of a group of people sitting at a table, with speech bubbles over their heads In-person
Ask one of your care team members to connect you with a member of your Patient Experience Team who would be happy to come and see you during your admission or visit.

Line art of an envelop with the @ symbol on the piece of paper, to signify an email By email

Email us at experience@cheo.on.ca

Line art of a telephone, with lines to indicate a voice speaking through it By phone

Call us at 613-737-7600 ext 3078

Line art of an envelop, to convey a letter being sent By mail
Write to Patient Experience at CHEO:
Patient Experience
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario
W1425- 401 Smyth Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1H 8L1

Frequently asked questions

What happens when I share feedback?

You can expect to be treated with respect, dignity and courtesy. We will respond to your request within 2 business days. Our goal is to resolve concerns within 30 days. Some concerns may require a more formal review involving our Safety team. Visit our Safety page to learn more about this process.

We will listen to you to understand your feedback and work with you to identify the best solution.

Making a complaint will not compromise your care. Your feedback is important to us and is seen as an opportunity to improve our services.

What does CHEO do with my feedback?

We will use your feedback to improve our processes and the care we provide. We bring your feedback to front line and management teams to make improvements for you and for future CHEO patients.

Can I make a complaint if I’m not the patient?

Yes, but we may need to get consent before we can share specific details about their care/treatment.

Interpretation services

Patient Experience is able to provide services in English and French. For all other languages, interpreters are available in-person, virtually and by phone. CHEO’s contracted interpreters and third-party agencies provide interpretation in over 200 languages.

For families who need to or would prefer to communicate in a language other than English or French, visit our Language and Interpretation webpage for more information.

Family Support Services (formerly Candlelighters)

Family Support Services (FSS) are provided through the Patient Experience Team and address the impact having a child or youth treated at CHEO has on families. These services are funded through the CHEO Foundation. They assist families in coping with unforeseen, ongoing and/or often complex challenges that caring for a child or youth receiving care at CHEO may present.

What services are offered?

Depending on a family’s unique needs, these services can include:

Gas and parking vouchers for families who otherwise would not be able to make appointments or inpatient stays
Grocery support for families who may be affected by loss of wages due to time off work for appointments and care
Academic resources and support for children and youth who are in hospital or too sick to attend their regular classes.

Family Support Services are able to assist Oncology families and currently are being extended to include patients and families from other areas who may also benefit from these supports.

For more information, please contact Jocelyn Lamont by emailing jlamont@cheo.on.ca