Patient and Public Involvement in Family Medicine Research

Abstract

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) has gained importance in Germany and is also increasingly implemented in research in family medicine. Internationally, diverse frameworks give recommendations on how to successfully design and implement PPI in specific contexts. However, it is crucial to share experiences on PPI in specific settings such as family medicine in order to learn from each other. Thus, this article provides an overview of PPI concepts in the practice-based research networks (PBRNs) of the Initiative of German Practice-Based Research Networks - DESAM-ForNet. In the PBRNs patients and the public are involved in the research process by repeated group meetings in "public forums" (BayFoNet), "round tables" (FoPraNet-BW) or "patient advisory boards" (HAFO.NRW, RESPoNsE, SaxoForN) with a special focus on the planning and dissemination phase of projects. The most successful recruitment strategies so far have encompassed individual patient contacts of family physicians, postings/posters, local self-help organizations and standardized patient programs. Evaluation of PPI is currently being designed in most PBRNS. Overall, the PBRN-specific PPI concepts represent diverse possibilities to create long-term collaborative partnerships with patients and the public. These exemplary concepts are meant to encourage the further development and implementation of adapted PPI-concepts in family medicine research.