In 2024, the article “Strategies for involving patients and the public in scaling initiatives in health and social services: A scoping review” was published. Several members of our unit are part of the team that wrote it.
- Roberta de Carvalho Corôa
- Ali Ben Charif
- Vincent Robitaille
- Diogo G. V. Mochcovitch
- Mamane Abdoulaye Samri
- Talagbe Gabin Akpo
- Amédé Gogovor
- Virginie Blanchette
- Lucas Gomes Souza
- Kathy Kastner
- Amélie M. Achim
- Robert K. D. McLean
- Andrew Milat
- France Légaré
- Le Réseau RePOS
Corôa, R. de C., Ben Charif, A., Robitaille, V., Mochcovitch, D. G. V., Samri, M. A., Akpo, T. G., Gogovor, A., Blanchette, V., Souza, L. G., Kastner, K., Achim, A. M., McLean, R. K. D., Milat, A., Légaré, F., & The RePOS Network. (2024). Strategies for involving patients and the public in scaling initiatives in health and social services: A scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 24, Article 342. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-025-12494-2
Context
Scaling up effective interventions in health and social services aims to increase their impact on populations. Involving patients, citizens, and the public is essential to ensure that initiatives truly meet the needs of those affected. This scoping review aimed to identify strategies used to involve patients and the public in scaling initiatives and describe their characteristics.
Method
The authors reviewed multiple scaling initiatives identified through relevant databases and grey literature. Initiatives that documented involvement strategies and described their methods and outcomes were included for analysis.
Results
A total of 120 initiatives were identified, employing 236 non-exclusive involvement strategies.
Twenty-three citizen involvement strategies were classified according to the Montreal model’s levels of engagement:
Direct care level (9 strategies): Patient and public education, behavior change interventions, personalized care planning, self-management support, shared decision-making, access to medical records or portals, patient/public navigation support, family support, peer support.
Health and social service organization level (5 strategies): Information campaigns and platforms, needs assessments of service users, quality and safety evaluations, organizational advisory groups, co-leadership in quality and safety improvement.
Education level (2 strategies): Patients and public as trainers, co-design of educational or training activities.
Research level (4 strategies): Consultations with patients and the public, engagement in research project phases, research advisory groups, co-leadership in research activities.
Policy level (3 strategies): Public consultations, policy advisory groups, co-leadership in policy development.
Conclusion
Patient, citizen, and public involvement in scaling initiatives is increasing in health and social services. Further research is needed to better document these experiences and ensure that involvement is meaningful and equitable.