Open AccessPatient And Family Engagement: A Framework For Understanding The Elements And Developing Interventions And Policies
Author(s) -
Kristin L. Carman,
Pam Dardess,
Maureen Maurer,
Shoshanna Sofaer,
Karen Adams,
Christine Bechtel,
Jennifer Sweeney
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
health affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.837
H-Index - 178
eISSN - 2694-233X
pISSN - 0278-2715
DOI - 10.1377/hlthaff.2012.1133
Subject(s) - general partnership , psychological intervention , corporate governance , public engagement , community engagement , population health , health care , stakeholder engagement , public relations , nursing , psychology , medicine , political science , business , public health , finance , law
Patient and family engagement offers a promising pathway toward better-quality health care, more-efficient care, and improved population health. Since definitions of patient engagement and conceptions of how it works vary, we propose a framework. We first present the forms engagement can take, ranging from consultation to partnership. We discuss the levels at which patient engagement can occur across the health care system, from the direct care setting to incorporating patient engagement into organizational design, governance, and policy making. We also discuss the factors that influence whether and to what extent engagement occurs. We explore the implications of our multidimensional framework for the development of interventions and policies that support patient and family engagement, and we offer a research agenda to investigate how such engagement leads to improved outcomes.