Patients' and clinicians' research priorities.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient Engagement
• Research Prioritization

Background:

• Health service design and delivery benefit from research addressing patient and clinician needs.
• Initiatives increasingly involve patients and clinicians in setting research agendas.
• This paper scopes the literature on these patient and clinician engagement efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on engaging patients and clinicians in setting research agendas.
• To identify the scope and evolution of research on patient and clinician involvement in research prioritization.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search strategy was employed, combining electronic database searches with handsearching and author contact.
• Two researchers independently screened and described relevant reports.
• The review encompassed over 250 studies addressing research priorities and outcomes.

Main Results:

• The literature covers diverse methods for patient and clinician contributions to research agendas.
• Most studies (two-thirds) focused on general healthcare, while others targeted specific conditions.
• A growing body of literature on patient involvement, particularly in the last decade, with nine studies demonstrating advanced methods for direct, repeated, facilitated engagement and decision-making.

Conclusions:

• A substantial body of literature exists to guide research prioritization and agenda-setting methods involving patients and clinicians.
• Research funders and researchers should utilize this literature to ensure health service decision-makers receive relevant research.
• Continued development and application of collaborative methods are recommended for impactful health research.