Challenges in using patient involvement principles in substance use treatment

Area of Science:

• Clinical Psychology
• Addiction Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Patient involvement (PI) is key in healthcare, with positive patient experiences noted in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.
• However, health professionals face obstacles in applying PI principles in real-world clinical settings.
• Limited research exists on the challenges encountered by clinicians in implementing PI within SUD treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the challenges faced by health professionals when implementing patient involvement in substance use disorder treatment.
• To understand the practical difficulties in translating PI concepts into clinical practice for SUD patients.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with five health professionals.
• Participants were from a Norwegian institution providing inpatient treatment for SUD.
• Data analysis employed a systematic text condensation approach.

Main Results:

• Patient involvement in SUD treatment was perceived as challenging.
• Key challenges stemmed from conceptual ambiguities regarding PI.
• Treatment dilemmas arose, questioning PI's universal application in SUD care.

Conclusions:

• The concept of patient involvement requires critical examination within SUD treatment.
• A flexible approach is needed to adapt PI principles to effective clinical practice.
• A framework is proposed to help clinicians, administrators, and unit heads acknowledge and address PI implementation challenges.