• Constance van Eeghen, Juvena R Hitt, Douglas J Pomeroy, Paula Reynolds, Gail L Rose, and Jennifer O'Rourke Lavoie.
• University of Vermont, Given Courtyard Fourth Floor S456, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA. cvaneegh@med.uvm.edu.
• J Gen Intern Med. 2022 Apr 1; 37 (Suppl 1): 73-79.

BackgroundEngaging patients as partners can influence research, with rewards and deterrents. The authors are researchers and patient co-investigators who collaborated on a comparative effectiveness, randomized controlled study of a structured quality improvement (QI) process to improve behavioral health and primary care integration for people managing multiple chronic conditions (MCC). Patient co-investigators responded to a gap in available resources to support study clinics in partnering with their own patients in QI and co-created the Patient Partner Guide (PPG).ObjectiveDescribe the development of the PPG, its use by clinics undertaking the QI project, and research team partnerships.DesignObservational report of study intervention component.ParticipantsDiverse patients and family members managing MCC and members of their primary care clinics.InterventionThe PPG component of the study intervention is a five-step workbook providing practical tools and resources to sustain partnerships across clinic QI team members, including patient partners. The process of developing the PPG relied on relationship-building tools that were iteratively assessed, practiced, improved, and incorporated into the PPG under the leadership of patient co-investigators.Main MeasuresObservations related to PPG use and patient partner inclusion in clinic QI; impact on the research team.Key ResultsOf 20 clinics, 6 engaged patients as full partners on QI teams. Clinics found resistance in partnering and challenges in using the PPG but valued the material and their partners' contributions. Similarly, engagement of patient co-investigators in research brought a shift in perspective to team members. The PPG is available and was adapted for use by research teams.ConclusionsEngagement of patients and other stakeholders in research can be transformative and productive. Building relationships through meaningful work benefits others, and in turn, the research process. This approach can enhance clinical care QI and may result in substantial contributions to the conduct of research.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02868983.© 2021. The Author(s).

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