Exploring the Role of Patient Engagement in Organisational Performance: Empirical Evidence From Patient and Family Advisory Councils.

Abstract

Over the past two decades, patient-centred care has gained global prominence, emphasising collaboration among patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to improve healthcare delivery. Recognising the foundational role of patient participation in enhancing clinical outcomes, healthcare organisations increasingly integrate patient inputs and resources into their management strategies. Patient and family advisory councils represent a primary form of collective patient engagement at the organisational level. Patient and family advisory councils actively engage in all levels of the hospital system to enhance quality improvement and meet the demands of patients. Despite recognised importance, empirical evidence regarding their roles as strategic resources and impact on hospital performance remains unexplored. Incorporating patient engagement into the social resource-based view, this study addresses how comprehensive strategic resources are associated with a hospital's quality of care and patient satisfaction outcomes. Utilising hospital-level data from 2018 to 2020, a cross-sectional time-series ordered logit analysis examines the quality of care and patient satisfaction models. The findings reveal that patient engagement, physical resources, and human capital are positively associated with hospital quality of care and patient satisfaction. In contrast, a social resource-a minority population-is negatively associated with hospital outcomes. This study contributes theoretical and practical implications. It synthesises patient engagement into the Social Resource-Based approach and provides consistent empirical evidence. In addition, it suggests evidence for practitioners to develop and manage patient engagement as a strategic resource.