The UNICANCER Patient Expectations Observatory: A new role for patients in health care institutions.

Recognizing the role played by patients in their own management, UNICANCER set up in November 2011 a unique initiative in France: the Patient Expectations Observatory. This was designed to reorient and improve the quality of care provided by comprehensive cancer centres in the UNICANCER group based on a better knowledge and understanding of patient perceptions and preferences. An innovative internet-based consultation process enabled us to record and prioritize patient expectations. Patient management improvement actions for cancer centres were then used to equitably satisfy the identified patient expectations. By using patients' own expectations of their health care, cancer centres can therefore provide an example of the new modalities of patient participation in health care institutions, in line with the changes proposed by public authorities.