Integrity Warning: 4th Annual National Forum on the Patient Experience - Toronto Sep 20-21, 2017

[A Former User]

Hi folks,

I received an invitation to a two-day September conference in Toronto that might tempt you. I see that CPSI Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council are also spreading the word. But I'd like to dissuade you.

It is expensive, seems to be a conference to make money for for-profit organizers, and attracts innocent good guys as a kind of pyramid scheme. Everybody gets 20% off from a very large registration fee.

Perhaps you have a "Patient Experience" experience to share? They've held "Patient Experience West" in the past. If you ask to be a speaker, you are harassed to recruit registrants.

Below is an anonymized version of the invitation I received.

Forewarned is forearmed. Stay safe. I'd love to be dissuaded but my past attendance tells me otherwise.

In the meantime I wanted to draw your attention to a conference you might find interests you that is in Toronto, September 20th & 21st. at the Toronto Airport Holiday Inn. I can offer you a 20 discount when you register online for this conference using the CODE: [xxxx]

The 4th. Annual National Forum on PATIENT EXPERIENCE has a large group presenting various themes and views. I'll be there.

The website offers you more information: www. patientexpereincesummit.com

Let me know if you might consider attending.

[A Former User]

At their First Annual Conference they were shamed on social media, including LinkedIn for having no patients. The 2nd year they appealed for patients on Twitter at the last minute and I attended free and made some great contacts. In year three I even pushed them into admitting me to the pre conference workshops (free) which was where I met Angela, speaking with Accred Canada.

This year they phoned and interviewed me about ideas for the conference and asked me to be on an Advisory Board that "may meet" before the conference so I refused. I currently have been told I can attend free but I have a conflict so won't be there.

I have seen that pyramid scheme, and would not get involved in it either

Annette

[A Former User]

Thanks Annette for your validation. Again, your persistence and best practice demonstrate your integrity!

[A Former User]

One of the problems with conferences like Patient Experience is that despite the organizers you really do make good connections and learn things you are happy to know. The first year I met Paul Gallant, from BC and he pointed out that CFHI had webinars that patients would have to pay to listen to. (They have since changed). Nancy Marlett of PaCER was a speaker too, and if I had not attended I would not have jumped at the chance to take the PaCER course months later.

Since then Paul has given me a sponsor pass to a few conferences he had not been able to attend.

Maybe this depends on your stage as an advisor. That was the first conference I attended after Medicine X, so I was filled with enthusiasm.

Annette

[A Former User]

I have presented and attended for a couple of years but never again. Last year one of the main patient speakers spoke passionately and criticized the organizers for not even paying his $20 parking expense for the day -- and he was a speaker!

Carolyn is correct. They are a for profit event company that puts this on. Attendees are primarily patient engagement professionals. Very few patients attend due to expense and increasingly, the conference reputation.