Coproducing healthcare with immigrant patients

Background Coproduction shows great promise for meaningful partnerships between patients and health professionals. According to coproduction, any public service is inevitably coproduced by two parties. This is important for immigrants, who experience limited access and involvement in their healthcare and are at risk of receiving lower quality of care. In this PhD project, we aimed at understanding how health professionals and immigrants coproduce healthcare services to create health.

Methods Based on a systematic scoping review, we conducted two qualitative studies at an interdisciplinary outpatient clinic for immigrants and refugees at a Danish university hospital. Data were collected tshrough participant observations (n=25), informal conversations and focus groups (n=2) with health professionals, and interviews with patients (n=13) between February and November 2020.

Results Immigrants can be a valuable source of information and powerful coproducers of their own health if the healthcare organization and health professionals prepare for it. Communication tools designed around patient needs guided health professionals in listening and creating a safe space built on mutual trust which was essential for shared decisions about care. Our findings highlighted the need for flexibility in daily practice, for compassion, kindness, and empathy, and for accepting vulnerability arising from the complexity in clinical practice.

Conclusions Using a coproduction lens, we recognized that the creation of a service requires time and the patient and health professional to work together. Both contribute their resources of lived experience and professional expertise in coproducing healthcare services and thus value for the patient and the healthcare system.

Publication History

Article published online:
22 August 2022