Advocacy and Collaboration: Navigating Roles in Patient Partnership
Patient partners often enter engagement spaces with a strong sense of advocacy — grounded in lived experience, community connection, and a desire to drive meaningful change. At the same time, health systems and research teams frequently invite patient partners into collaborative roles focused on co-design, shared decision-making, and system improvement. This panel explores the dynamic tension between advocacy and collaborative engagement. Through lived experiences, patient partners will share how they navigate these roles, what supports or hinders their contributions, and how organizations can create environments where both advocacy and collaboration are valued and possible. Participants will gain practical insights into recognizing, supporting, and intentionally designing for these roles in patient engagement work.