Grant: Patient-Oriented Research Collaboration Grants

Patients and caregivers have an expertise in their disease and illness that healthcare professionals and researchers do not. This expertise is particularly important in the case of chronic diseases such as organ failure and transplantation where illness is part of patients' and caregivers' lives. In recent years, the importance of involving patients and caregivers in healthcare services has been increasingly recognized because it enhances patients' sense of empowerment and adherence to treatment and also allows healthcare providers to offer services that are relevant to their patients. Engaging patients is not only important in medical care, but also in research. Indeed, engaging patients in research increases the relevance and the quality of research, facilitates the recruitment, enhances public trust and allows a better dissemination of results. The Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP) is an interdisciplinary research team looking at different issues related to organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The principal objectives of the CNTRP are to increase organ and tissue donation and improve the lives of Canadian transplant patients. In order to pursue research projects that are relevant for the Canadian transplant community (patients, caregivers, donors, researchers), it is of paramount importance develop a partnership between patients and researchers within the CNTRP. The aims of this project are to build sustainable and meaningful relationship and develop a partnership between patients and researchers within the CNTRP. To achieve these objectives, we will (i) facilitate a dialogue between researchers and patients on research priorities and patient engagement, (ii) identify research priorities (iii) involve patients in two CNTRP research projects and (iv) assess the impact of our patient engagement strategy within the CNTRP.