Celebrating the Partnership

“In my experience as a patient advocate, it is rare for a researcher to ask for a caregiver’s perspective. It just doesn’t happen. But, our project is actively engaging families. We are learning what is important to them and what challenges they face. We are not pulling this information out of thin air or reading it in a textbook. We are getting it from families, and it has been a privilege to work with a team of researchers and students who are truly dedicated to helping caregivers.” Bev Butler, Patient Advocate

The HPRN Community Advisory Council Prepares for a Panel Presentation at a Colorado PBRN Research Conference

Most everyone likes to celebrate a job well done. Celebrations not only honor the partnership but they can also raise awareness about collaborative endeavors in research at your organization, educate researchers about how PFAs are valuable partners, and inspire additional PFAs to get involved in research. Contributions can be acknowledged and celebrated by:

Ensuring that personal thank you cards are written to PFAs and PFACs.
Convening a social outing or group gathering celebrating the completion of a research project.
Nominating researchers and staff for awards that recognize innovative and collaborative work.
Nominating PFAs and PFACs for volunteer awards recognizing their efforts in research.
Inviting leaders within the organization and affiliated research/academic institution to celebrations.
Acknowledging PFAs and PFACs as contributors in project-related articles and presentations.
Including PFAs who have played a significant role on a research project as co-authors on articles.
Writing press releases for public media to inform the community and articles for organizational communication outlets about the research project and the impact of PFAs.
Visually capturing partnerships in action, the products created together, the “before and after” story, celebrations, and share these images in a variety of ways:
- PFAC annual reports
- Organizational annual reports and websites
- Presentations at meetings and conferences
- Press releases
- Articles in professional journals
Providing photographs or a framed picture to the PFAC or to individual PFAs as a way to express appreciation for their participation.
Hosting public forums for researchers and PFAs to co-present the findings, the relevance of the research to the community, and the importance of research partnerships.

Highlight from the Field:
OCHIN PEP Celebration

In 2012, OCHIN created the Patient Engagement Panel (PEP) to help shape the vision of the OCHIN Practice-Based Research Network and ensure that patient voices are heard. PEP members guide research design and implementation, and they share research findings with stakeholders. In celebration of the growth in PEP membership (18 members from diverse backgrounds and experiences) and the great contributions that PEP has provided to OCHIN communities, OCHIN hosted a “PEP 2.0” meeting and celebration to express gratitude to PEP members. The celebration included looking back on the PEP’s accomplishments thus far and discussing the future direction and goals of continued engagement work and partnerships.

Highlight from the Field:
PATIENTS Day

The PATIENTS Program (Patient-Centered Involvement in Evaluating the Effectiveness of Treatments) held its first PATIENTS Day at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in 2016 to celebrate the partnerships among patients, family caregivers, community members, and researchers. It was a day-long learning session and health fair for the community featuring these partnerships and encouraging continued collaboration. Patients, families, and other community members shared information about their involvement in research.

Learn more about PATIENTS Day.