Improving patient experience is a global priority for health policy-makers and care providers. The need to look at healthcare delivery through the eyes of patients is widely accepted, but how should it be done? What use can be made of this information, and what evidence is there that such exercises lead to better care? Understanding and Using Health Experiences: Improving patient care examines a broad range of different sources and techniques for gathering and analyzing health experiences. Providing an accessible and pragmatic overview of the diversity and richness of research in the field this book explores the strengths and limitations of different approaches, and assesses what each method can contribute to improving people's experience of illness, and the way that health services are delivered. The book looks at topics such as using focus groups to understand experiences of health and illness, patient surveys, and the internet as a source of information on people's experience. Using clear and engaging examples throughout, the book is accessibly written by experts in social science, health services, and health policy, and will be valuable to postgraduate students, healthcare practitioners, and individuals working in health and social policy, public sector management, and research.

"Engaging Patients in Healthcare" is the roadmap we need to guide the creation of the healthcare system we've all dreamed about - one that truly taps the power of patient and professional wisdom... Dr. Coulter provides evidence and clear strategies to help us partner successfully with patients... With this book in hand, perhaps we can begin 'doing things with people instead of to them'."
Susan Edgman-Levitan, PA, Executive Director, Stoeckle Center for Primary Care Innovation, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA

"This book provides the building blocks from which healthcare professionals can try to engage people more, from consultation based practices, such as shared decision making and improved self management, to deeper changes in shaping services and training professionals ... Effective partnerships between patients and healthcare professionals are the way forward. This book has relevance for us all."
British Medical Journal, 2011

"Angela Coulter provides a clear and comprehensive account of patient engagement in health care. She offers a succinct introduction and overview of the different forms of engagement drawing on research undertaken over many years. At a time when the future of the NHS is once again under debate, Coulter shows why patient engagement matters in a way that is both practical and evidence based. Policy makers and practitioners will benefit from her analysis of the challenges of securing effective engagement and the ideas she puts forward for overcoming these challenges."
Chris Ham, Chief Executive of The King's Fund, London, UK

"Angela Coulter has managed to de-mystify the concepts of patient engagement in health care in a readable, balanced, thought-provoking primer. Undaunted by the scope and volumes of research in eight applications of patient engagement, she cogently summarizes the evidence and provides practical examples in different health care systems. This is a "must read" for students, educators, practitioners, managers, and policy makers needing a primer or update."
Annette O'Connor, Emeritus Professor University of Ottawa, Canada

"Committed doyenne, Coulter writes superbly about patients as the greatest untapped resource in healthcare. At a time when health services face so many challenges across the globe, there are solutions here that need urgent attention."
Professor Glyn Elwyn BA MB BCh MSc FRCGP PhD Director of Research, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Clinical Epidemiology IRG, Cardiff University, UK

"While politicians pay increasing obeisance to the notion of 'patient-centred care' patients often experience a service built around the needs of healthcare organisations and professionals. The challenge is to translate the often woolly rhetoric of "no decision about me without me" into practical steps that improve the quality of care, and keep it affordable as cost pressures mushroom. Those who are serious about taking on this challenge could do no better than study Dr Coulter's crisp and cogent overview of the theory, evidence and practice of patient engagement. "
Jeremy Taylor, Chief Executive, National Voices"

This evidence-based guide provides the first comprehensive overview of patient engagement and participation in healthcare. It has been written for all those who want to understand the various ways in which patient and public engagement can contribute to better health outcomes.

Angela Coulter explains the theories, models and policies at the heart of patient involvement as well as giving extensive practical examples to demonstrate the reality of involving patients. The book includes an examination of patients' roles in respect of: Improving care processes Building health literacy Selecting treatments Strengthening self-care Ensuring safer care Participating in research Training professionals Shaping services Clearly written by a leading author in the field and well illustrated with data, examples and evidence, the book includes practical descriptions of real patient engagement, together with critical review and suggestions to guide future developments. This guide also brings together an extensive body of international evidence, making it the most current and original text on the market.

"Engaging Patients in Healthcare" is essential reading for students and professionals working and studying in public health, health care management, health services and beyond.