How do I get patients involved in my efforts?

It starts with collaboration and integration.

 
If you’re looking for ways to get patients involved in improving ambulatory care, you know that it takes the efforts of all parties—a realization that puts you firmly on the path to success.
 
Patients gain commitment to your efforts when you place them, families, and advocates in positions of influence in order to advise and affect decision-making.
 
Margie Turner, Patient, Patient & Family Advisory Council
 
Oregon’s Patients and Families as Leaders program embeds patients in all levels of decision-making. Among their many tasks, council members have attended health education courses as “secret shoppers” to provide constructive criticism and improve the courses. 
 
Providers in Maine recruited patients for the Patient Family Leadership Team in person, via letter, and through a newspaper advertisement. Among many other things, consumers have provided feedback to improve wait time and the referral and appointment processes.
 
 
Decide how you will structure patient involvement: through an advisory board, practice-wide improvement team, or something else?
Be clear about roles and relationships.
Be clear about expectations and time commitment. 
 
This compendium of resources on getting patients involved covers everything from recruitment to measuring success.
 
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