Patient involvement in Europe – a comparative framework
Journal of Health Organization and Management
ISSN: 1477-7266
Article publication date: 17 August 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide and explain the model that underlies most of the research reported within this special issue on “Patient involvement in health care across Europe”.
Design/methodology/approach
This introduction provides a literature review and a conceptual framework for the understanding of patient involvement and its potential development within health care across Europe.
Findings
Patient involvement can be characterised in terms of three ideal types: voice, choice and co-production. Policies for developing user involvement in healthcare can have disempowering as well as empowering consequences. The pattern of dissemination of user involvement across Europe varies in form and content largely due to path dependency.
Research limitations/implications
The paper provides a template for future comparative research on user involvement in health care and one that could be extended to social care as well as other varieties of human services. This introduction and the special issue highlights the need for further comparative research in this area.
Originality/value
The paper presents a robust model for comparative research. The findings may well be useful not only to researchers but also to policy makers and analysts.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank as well as acknowledge the EU COST Action ISO903 “Enhancing the role of medicine in the management of European health systems” for their support.
Citation
Dent, M. and Pahor, M. (2015), "Patient involvement in Europe – a comparative framework", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 546-555. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-05-2015-0078
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited