Perspectives on How to Engage Consumers in Health System Transformation

Abstract

While health care organizations and public programs have recently demonstrated an increased interest in engaging patients and consumers as part of the implementation of new programs and policies, there is little published to date to guide these organizations in how to best engage consumers. We turn to an unconventional source—health care consumer advocates—who have developed experience in the type of consumer outreach, engagement, and activation that could help inform health care organizations and policy makers in further defining and studying engagement. We share perspectives from the field of advocacy that we believe could be applicable to health care organizations and policy makers working to build patient and family engagement, particularly in organizational governance and policy.