Six lessons learned for successful patient engagement – A patient partner perspective

We are so excited to share this commentary, which was catalyzed and written by two patient partners. This is more than just a positive account from two patient research partners; this article provides the processes – the ‘secret ingredients’ – of how to do patient-oriented research well. While the experiences described are tied to a particular study about pharmacogenomics for depression, there are lessons to be learned for other project leaders or researchers contemplating patient-oriented research, especially within the mental health arena, and for people with lived experience who might want to become patient partners. This information has been encapsulated in six broad categories of lessons with concrete examples for each lesson.