A Case Study of Veteran Patient-Researcher Partnerships in Mental Health Research and Practice: Three Recommendations From a Veteran Patient Engaged in Research (VPER).

introductionVeteran patient partnerships in research improve patient-centred healthcare outcomes within US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centres. To achieve this, researchers must contextualize perspectives, motivations, and contributions of Veteran patients engaged in research (VPERs) as valued consultants within a complex healthcare environment. Our objective was to investigate best practices for research teams partnering with VPERs by utilizing the expertise of our research team's own VPER. The parent project of this case study, Hybrid Controlled Trial to Implement Collaborative Care in General Mental Health, was approved by the VA Boston Healthcare System Institutional Review Board and deemed research.

objectiveProvide three key recommendations when engaging military Veterans and/or VA Veteran Patients in research to facilitate sustained teamwork and integration. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES: This paper is structured as a qualitative descriptive data-based case study. Two team members used a semi-structured conversation guide to interview Dr. Colleen Turner, MSW, PhD, Lt. Col. (Ret., US Air Force Reserves) for one hour about her experience as a VPER on the 5-year research project. This manuscript was then written collaboratively by members of the team, with heavy influence and editing from Colleen for details and accuracy.

resultsImproving mental healthcare for Veterans motivated Colleen to serve as a VPER from 2015 to 2020. She used organizational and provider-level mental health expertise gained during her Air Force service, applied her graduate social work training, and offered her experience as a VA patient. A diverse background and an ability to codeswitch helped her navigate the study and enriched the team's partnership dynamics. Through a qualitative interview with Colleen about her experience as a VPER, three recommendations emerged for research teams to better situate VPERs on studies: (1) ensure initial project literacy and provide ongoing support, (2) incorporate VPER goals into project work and (3) communicate both (a) offers of reasonable compensation and professional acknowledgement and (b) visible patient-centred outcomes.

conclusionThis case study deepens the understanding of how to meaningfully incorporate VPERs into a partnered research study. Engagement starts early, continues throughout the study, and culminates with well-communicated outcomes as they pertain to the researchers' and VPERs' goals. These recommendations closely align with widely accepted community-engaged research practices and may guide ongoing and future studies to further improve patient engagement in research and the collaboration experiences of VPERs. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This manuscript focuses on Colleen's contributions to the design and conduct of a hybrid implementation/effectiveness study. Colleen also contributed to the manuscript itself. Uniquely, Dr. Turner brought her experience as a practitioner with master's and doctoral degrees in social work, as an institutional communications analyst, and as an independent author. Because of this, she was able to bring even more expertise to the project beyond just that of a patient, which is valuable in its own right. Colleen was involved in the research project from inception to conclusion, including study design, general analysis, and manuscript publication, with overall consultation throughout.