Chronic Pain Network

What is Patient Engagement?

As per the Canadian Institutes of Health Research website:

Traditionally, patient contributions in research and research-related activities have been restricted to the role of research participant. For example, in clinical trials, research participants receive the treatment being investigated or receive a placebo (or alternate treatment). The voluntary participation of research participants in this way is a vital contribution to science, as these participants help researchers determine whether their treatment or health intervention works in the way it is intended.

Patient engagement, however, is about meaningful collaboration. Patients become patient partners in the project and can be actively engaged in governance, priority setting, developing the research questions, and even performing certain parts of the research itself. This type of participation helps to ensure that the research being conducted is relevant and valuable to the patients that it affects. Patient partners can also collaborate with the research team to summarize or share the results with target audiences (especially other patients) and with policy makers or other decision makers who may apply the results in a health or community setting.

How does Patient Engagement work in the Chronic Pain Network?

Patients are engaged as partners, working with professionals to identify priorities to improve health outcomes, identify new treatments and deliver a more effective healthcare system to fellow Canadians.Patient Perspective Partners are engaged throughout the Network by playing active roles on each of the committees in its organizational structure, as well as partnering with principal investigators on Network-supported research projects to provide the perspective of someone with lived experience.

You can click here to learn more about the Chronic Pain Network's Patient Perspective Partners.

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