Storytelling at board meetings: A case study of co-developing recommendations (27 April 2023)

Summary

In healthcare, telling stories brings benefits to both storytellers and audience members, but also presents risks of harm. A reflective storytelling practice aims to honour stories and storytellers by ensuring there is time to prepare, reflect, learn, ask questions, and engage in dialogue with the storyteller to explore what went well and where there are learning and improvement opportunities.

Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC) is a pan-Canadian health organisation focused on improving the quality and safety of care in Canada. The HEC Patient Engagement and Partnerships team have co-developed these recommendations on how best to meaningfully share stories from those leading, providing and receiving care at Board meetings. This Case Study outlines the process HEC used to co-develop storytelling recommendations, focusing on a trauma-informed approach to create safe spaces for preparing, learning from and reflecting on stories, to clearly articulate their purpose, and to ensure the locus of control for storytelling rests with the storytellers.