Patient Involvement as Understood by Healthcare Professionals: A Multi-Methods Study in a Danish University Hospital

Although patient involvement is widely promoted in healthcare policy, there is limited understanding of how healthcare professionals interpret and implement it in practice. This study explores healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient involvement and how their understanding influences interactions with patients, addressing a gap in knowledge about its enactment in clinical practice.

A multi-methods design was used to capture both the breadth and depth of healthcare professionals' experiences. Quantitative survey data (n = 1214) were collected from multiple hospital departments and analysed descriptively. Semi-structured interviews (n = 12) were conducted between April and November 2022 and analysed using hermeneutic content analysis. The survey assessed healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient involvement, while interviews explored how these perceptions were enacted in everyday practice.

According to The Danish Healthcare Act §42, studies of this type do not require formal ethical approval. All participants provided informed consent, and data were anonymized and securely stored.

Survey findings indicated that 69% emphasized patients' role in influencing care decisions, 60% highlighted addressing patients' needs and preferences, and 37% noted patient education. Interviews revealed four central themes: patient involvement as shared decision-making, fostering partnerships, integrating patients' lifeworlds into care, and recognizing the influence of healthcare professionals in guiding decisions. These illustrate how patient involvement is enacted through tailored communication and ethical management of professional influence.

Although the qualitative interviews were limited by a small sample, they offered rich insights into professionals' interactions with patients, whereas survey responses reflected self-reported perspectives and may be subject to selection bias.

Patient involvement is shaped by both professional actions and interaction dynamics. Healthcare professionals foster meaningful engagement through communication, shared decision-making, ethical management of power asymmetries, and individualized support tailored to patients' circumstances and needs. The findings highlight the need for training, organizational strategies, and further research incorporating patient perspectives.