[PATIENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE DESIGN OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICES IN HEALTHCARE]

The integration and involvement of patients in shaping research, processes and policies in the health care system is a new trend, which is gaining momentum in many countries around the world. Although participatory processes have existed for many years, systematic and organized mechanisms have only begun maturing in recent years. The first expression of this trend is in aspects related to research, including: accessibility to information about experiments; patient participation in research as research subjects; participation in the design and management of research. The second area in which patients are involved is priority setting in research, drug approval processes and policy making. The third subject of patient involvement is the formation of therapeutic practices in healthcare quality improvement, healthcare routine, and the development of assessment tools. In this article, we review participatory processes, which are initiated by the authorities via mandatory standardization or participatory practices embedding, and also by patient organizations and public representatives working alongside, or as part of healthcare organizations. We present the global picture and then present examples from the Israeli context.