Defining Patient-Centeredness in Healthcare

Published May 21, 2018

ISPOR Special Interest Group Presents Findings and Consensus Definition for “Patient Engagement” and “Patient-Centeredness”

Baltimore, MD, USA—May 21, 2018—ISPOR, the professional society for health economics and outcomes research, held a session this evening, “Defining Patient-Centeredness and Engagement in Health Economics and Outcomes Research: Proposed Definition and Stakeholder Response [F3],” at ISPOR 2018 in Baltimore, MD, USA. Patient-related initiatives in healthcare are expanding as more and more stakeholders seek to involve patients in drug development, research, and delivery of healthcare. The lack of a common definition for the terms “patient engagement” and “patient-centeredness” has made it difficult to quantify and measure the impact of related initiatives. When these terms are employed, they are often used interchangeably and/or not defined, which can lead to misunderstanding. This lack of a consistent, clear definition for these terms has been highlighted in outcomes research, pharmacoepidemiology, and related fields, as a barrier to implementing and measuring patient engagement in the field. The session was moderated by Rachel L. Harrington, BA, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Speakers included Eleanor M. Perfetto, PhD, MS, National Health Council, Washington, DC, USA and University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA; Suzanne Schrandt, JD, Arthritis Foundation, Atlanta, GA, USA; and Sarah Donelson, MA, Genentech, San Francisco, CA, USA. In this session, speakers presented the proposed consensus definition of “patient engagement” suitable for use in the context of health economics and outcomes research. The proposed definition was derived from a multistep process that included a systematic review and qualitative analysis of existing definitions in addition to a multistakeholder review. The speakers shared the implications of and the response to a consensus definition for patient engagement from the perspective of key stakeholders, including patients, policy/research, and industry. The ISPOR Patient-Centered Special Interest Group, comprised of researchers and patient representatives, will submit a manuscript entitled, “Defining Patient Engagement in Research: Results of a Systematic Review and Analysis,” to the Society’s journal, Value in Health. Additional information on ISPOR 2018 can be found here. Released presentations from the conference can be found here. Interested parties can follow news and developments from the conference on social media using the hashtag #ISPORBaltimore.

###

  ABOUT ISPOR ISPOR, the professional society for health economics and outcomes research (HEOR), is an international, multistakeholder, nonprofit dedicated to advancing HEOR excellence to improve decision making for health globally. The Society is the leading source for scientific conferences, peer-reviewed and MEDLINE®-indexed publications, good practices guidance, education, collaboration, and tools/resources in the field. Web: www.ispor.org | LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ISPOR-LIn | Twitter: www.twitter.com/ISPORorg (@ISPORorg) | YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ISPORorg/videos | Facebook: www.facebook.com/ISPORorg | Instagram: www.instagram.com/ISPORorg

Related Stories

The Ozempic Paradox: How Spending Billions on Weight-Loss Drug Would Actually Reduce Overall Medicare Costs

Oct 14, 2025

Value in Health, the official journal of ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, announced today the publication of a landmark study by researchers at the University of Washington, Curta, Inc, and the University of North Carolina showing that broad Medicare coverage of semaglutide in diabetes, obesity, and liver disease could generate significant cost savings while delivering substantial health benefits to beneficiaries. The report, “Comprehensive Access to Semaglutide: Clinical and Economic Implications for Medicare,” was published in the October 2025 issue of Value in Health.

ISPOR Europe 2025 Plenaries and Speakers Announced

Oct 13, 2025

ISPOR announced details for its ISPOR Europe 2025. The conference is the leading global conference in Europe for health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) and is scheduled for 9-12 November in Glasglow, Scotland, UK with the theme, “Powering Value and Access Through Patient-Centered Collaboration.”

ISPOR Launches New Content on Whole Health

Sep 23, 2025

ISPOR announced that it has launched new website content on whole health, a topic of increasing importance as health systems across the globe grapple with providing the best possible healthcare to patients within constrained budgets.
Your browser is out-of-date

ISPOR recommends that you update your browser for more security, speed and the best experience on ispor.org. Update my browser now

×