Contextual Factors Affecting Patient Representatives in Primary Healthcare Service Development, 2025, Sandvin Olsson et al

Abstract

Background: Patient participation can contribute to establishing high-quality, sustainable health services.
This study explored patient representatives’ perceptions of developing primary healthcare services to identify contextual factors that matter to their participation.

Methods: Applying a bottom-up research approach, we conducted four focus groups and six individual interviews with patient representatives from four Norwegian municipalities. The participants had prior experience collaborating with healthcare professionals to develop healthcare services. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used for data analysis, guided by involvement in research throughout the research process.

Findings: Two themes were identified as key contextual factors with implications for patient participation. First, the lack of an overall plan for patient participation in primary healthcare was perceived to limit the degree of involvement. Second, the lack of an organizational culture supporting patient participation was understood as making involvement complicated and laborious.

Conclusion: This article indicates that the intention of patient participation is not realized and that primary healthcare is unprepared for involvement. Our findings warrant discussion on policy and local levels about the prioritization of patient participation in primary healthcare service development.

Open access

 

Study suggested by @Utsikt

 

Thank you!

 

The study was highlighted by someone on SoMe.

The findings shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone here, but they might be useful for advocacy reasons and perhaps justification for similar studies or reviews in other countries.

 

SoMe = social media

I keep forgetting that abbreviations are contextual. It’s a very normal one in my social and professional circles.

 

One might even call this "virtue signaling". I would go further and call it a crock of shit, but virtue signaling also applies very well.

We are at the stage of patient involvement in health care where democratic participation was at around the time of, maybe, the Magna Carta.

Or like one of the last scenes in Game of Thrones where someone suggests they could try a democratic system instead of crowning a new king and everyone laughed and laughed and laughed.