Background:
AI has transformative potential in healthcare, yet for its effective implementation, it must include patients as integral partners to ensure alignment with their needs and values.

Audience:
This workshop is for healthcare professionals, policymakers, AI developers, researchers, and patients who are invested in patient-centered approaches to digital health. It is particularly relevant for those aiming to integrate diverse patient perspectives into AI applications, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative healthcare system.

Approach:
This workshop, led by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), draws on insights from two focus groups with the CMA’s Patient Voice initiative, highlighting the importance of patient engagement to build trust, transparency, and ethical alignment in AI. Building on the pillars of integrated care—People as Partners in Health and Care and Digital Health Solutions—and the CMA’s recent environmental scan, key informant interviews, and policy submission on AI in Canada, the workshop emphasizes the role of patients’ lived experiences in shaping health policy and advocacy. We recognize that authentic collaboration with patients requires commitment, humility, mutual trust, shared leadership, and a focus on inclusivity, accessibility, and continuous improvement.

This 60-minute workshop will use an interactive format to facilitate discussion and engagement:

10 min. – Introduction to AI in healthcare, findings from CMA’s environmental scan and key informant interviews, and insights from the Patient Voice focus groups on patient-centered AI.
15 min. – Presentation of case studies where patient engagement shaped AI initiatives, showcasing different challenges and approaches in real-world contexts.
20 min. – Group work session where participants explore practical strategies to overcome barriers to authentic patient engagement in AI projects, centering on trust, inclusivity, and shared leadership.
10 min. – Feedback and sharing session for groups to present their ideas, fostering collaborative learning.
5 min. – Closing remarks to summarize key takeaways on embedding patient perspectives in AI and advancing AI policy in Canada.

Outcomes:
Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the value of patient engagement in AI, examples of successful patient-inclusive AI projects, and practical strategies for ensuring that AI initiatives in healthcare reflect patient priorities and promote equity. The workshop will provide insights that support a collaborative approach to AI policy development in Canada, aligning technology with the values of integrated and patient-centered care.