Travelling companions: a story told by a patient and her doctor.

Abstract

The Patient and Clinician Engagement (PaCE) project1 involves collaborative dyads of North American patients and their family physicians/GPs working with university academics on participatory research projects to reduce disparities and improve community-based health outcomes.2 PaCE dyads meet annually at the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) conference. ### Felicity: In my role as NAPCRG International Committee Chair, and Department Head of General Practice, University of Auckland, I initiated the first non-North American PaCE dyad. I approached my colleague Dr Tana Fishman, who in turn invited Rose Lamont, a patient of Pacific descent with whom she had a long-established doctor–patient relationship, to form their dyad. In November 2016 they travelled to the PaCE meeting at NAPCRG. This article describes their journey and its implications with respect to professional boundaries between doctors and their patients. ### Tana: Travelling to the airport to meet Rose felt very unusual. It was difficult explaining to colleagues and friends that I was travelling with my patient. I worried about maintaining professional boundaries and …