How Patients Shape Healthcare: Then, Now and What's to Come?
Abstract
Historically, healthcare has been paternalistic; patients were expected to be passive participants in their own healthcare, complying with healthcare professional orders without question (Longtin et al. 2010). Today, there are calls for patients to be more active participants, who partner with healthcare professionals, evaluate the care provided, and join health research teams (Ocloo and Matthews 2016). This transformation has occurred through a series of pivotal moments in industry, culture, and technology. In this commentary, I explore how patients have come to shape hospital care at every level, from the bedside to the boardroom, and challenge readers to imagine how central their voice will be to the future of nursing and hospitals.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Mental Health and Patient Involvement
Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Advanced Nursing
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- S2
- Pages
- S247–S251
- Publication date
- 3 February 2026
- Language
- EN