Working Together for Better Health Care
In British Columbia, communities and health care organizations are working together to build a more inclusive and effective health care system. While progress is being made, many are eager to do more. Building the confidence and readiness to work together remains a common challenge. We know taking time to listen to people’s experiences and ideas can lead to real change.
This is why Health Quality BC (HQBC) is testing the Bridging Research, Accurate Information, and Dialogue (BRAID) model with Interior and Island Health. BRAID is about building trust through conversations between communities and health organizations. It is about building a space and place for what matters to the community and provides clear, useful information to address concerns. This hands-on approach strengthens connections, builds confidence and lays the foundation for lasting improvements in health care.
Health quality improves when we focus on what matters to everyone. Strong relationships built on trust and open conversations are key.
To put the BRAID model into action, we are focusing on an urgent issue: vaccine misinformation. Our first area of focus is HPV vaccination, where misinformation has contributed to hesitancy and confusion. This real-time quality improvement project invites everyone to participate by asking questions, providing input and learning along the way. This post introduces the BRAID model, why we’re testing it and what our partners are saying about addressing HPV vaccination misinformation.
The Need for Better Conversations in Health Quality
Information is power—but it can also be overwhelming. The challenge is ensuring that health-related information is clear, relevant and easy to act on. When it comes to vaccination, misinformation spreads faster than facts. Despite efforts such as campaigns, fact sheets and online resources, the digital landscape has made it easier than ever for misinformation to take hold. A study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health found that:
- Misinformation spreads faster than corrective interventions.
- Social media is a key driver of vaccine hesitancy.
- Trust in health organizations has declined due to conflicting messages.
Island Health is actively working to build trust and increase vaccine uptake in our communities, and very grateful for the opportunity to partner with Health Quality BC to implement the BRAID project. Their support and expertise have been invaluable in tackling the growing issue of vaccine hesitancy.
The World Health Organization has listed vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten global health threats. This underscores the urgent need for new approaches to engagement—like the BRAID model—that prioritize trust and dialogue.
Rebuilding trust starts with understanding what matters most to people. To rebuild confidence, we need to identify the information people find most relevant and engage in ongoing conversations. The BRAID model helps do exactly that—fostering trust and ensuring health messages resonate with communities.
What is the BRAID Model?
BRAID is an evidence-based community engagement model developed by Montefiore/Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York City. It is designed to build trust in communities through ongoing engagement and feedback over time. BRAID creates a safe space for bidirectional dialogue, ensuring that what matters most to the community is heard and acted on. The model facilitates effective community partnerships, leading to co-design and co-production opportunities for accurate information, respectful dialogue and community-driven engagement.
First tested during COVID-19 in the Bronx, New York, BRAID has since been used for other health issues where understanding what matters most to community is crucial to delivering relevant information. Research has shown that active and continuous engagement improves the quality and value of health care within the community.
With this promising practice already in action, Health Quality BC saw the opportunity to partner with the New York team to test this approach in BC.
Why Health Quality BC is Testing BRAID
Many health challenges in British Columbia—such as access to services and vaccine confidence—are not new. But improving trust and engagement is key to solving them.
BRAID provides a proven way to:
- Improve collaboration between communities and health organizations.
- Address vaccine misinformation in ways that resonate with people.
- Strengthen confidence in public health efforts.
- Ensure health information is relevant and trusted.
Interior Health is excited about the opportunity to engage in the BRAID project in a collaborative effort to build trust and confidence in vaccine within our communities.
Immunizations & Informatics Program, Interior Health, Population and Public Health Services
By adopting a well-supported model like BRAID, we can build confidence and readiness for long-term health system improvements.
How BRAID Works in Practice
We know that the circle of trust for people stretches beyond health experts to include community leaders and influencers. People are often more influenced by what they read, see and hear from those they trust, rather than from health professionals.
BRAID strengthens this trust by:
By prioritizing trust, dialogue and shared decision-making, BRAID ensures that health information is not just delivered—but truly heard, understood and valued by the community.
The Impact of BRAID in Strengthening Health Care
The power of dialogue cannot be overstated. When we align our efforts with what matters to people—driven by their input—that’s when meaningful change happens. Trust builds, understanding grows and people commit to engaging with one another, leading to better health outcomes.
While Clearwater, BC, did not use the BRAID model, it provides a strong example of how community engagement can lead to real change. When the local health authority, government and community members came together to address emergency room closures, the focus on relationship-building, idea-sharing and forward-thinking led to tangible results.
Our hope is that the BRAID model offers a framework for building trust and fostering communities ready to co-produce health information. This trust-building approach pays dividends long-term, providing a foundation for future collaboration on complex health issues.
Clearwater Council and I were more than happy to get the message out that the community needed be patient with hospital staff and trust that the end of closures was coming, to ask residents to find housing for new recruits and to get the word out through media that Clearwater was a great place for health professionals to live, work and play. We went from 60 plus closures in one year, to only one or two in the year and a half since then. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Join the Conversation
Building trust takes time, and we’re committed to learning and sharing along the way. Through our ongoing work with patients, families and communities, we’ll continue exploring what meaningful engagement looks like—and how models like BRAID can help strengthen connections and improve health care conversations.
Stay connected. Subscribe to our Improving Health Quality Together – Working with Patients, Families and Communities Newsletter for insights, community stories and practical tools to strengthen health care conversations and build trust.
Sign up and join the movement for stronger, more connected health care!
