Better Healthcare Together: Co-Designing a Framework for Health Service Co-Design

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Healthcare Innovation

Background:

• Co-design is crucial for developing health services and policies that meet patient and community needs.
• Existing co-design toolkits often favor professionals, potentially perpetuating power imbalances and limiting community leadership.
• Genuine co-design requires frameworks that empower diverse stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel co-design framework for health services.
• To describe the iterative co-design process used in developing this framework.
• To address challenges in implementing co-design within healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• A series of engagement activities including online forums, focus groups, and workshops were conducted with health consumers, professionals, and researchers.
• The co-design process was co-led by a clinician researcher and a health consumer.
• Data from engagement activities were combined with literature and existing frameworks to iteratively develop the online framework.

Main Results:

• The 'Better Healthcare Together' framework was developed, comprising three components: 'before you start co-design,' 'the co-design team,' and 'the co-design process.'
• The framework emphasizes power dynamics, inclusion, equity, and the integration of diverse lived and professional experiences.
• Development involved 128 participants across five hospitals and community health services.

Conclusions:

• The framework offers a flexible approach to consumer partnerships in healthcare.
• Reflections highlighted the importance of relational aspects, avoiding an expert mindset, and adapting to the evolving landscape of consumer engagement.
• Achieving true health system co-design capability necessitates addressing systemic and organizational barriers beyond the framework itself.