Driving Healthcare Innovation, Guided by Patient and Clinician Insights
The OpenNotes Lab collaborates with developers of health information technologies and healthcare systems in partnership with patients, care partners, and clinician advocates. To ensure our projects reflect diverse perspectives and meet real-world needs, we’ve established the OpenNotes Lab Insight Panel—a dynamic team composed of patients, care partners, and clinicians who play a key role in OpenNotes projects. This team helps OpenNotes evaluate emerging health technologies and co-designs research initiatives that matter most to those impacted by healthcare.
What is the OpenNotes Lab Insight Panel?
The OpenNotes Lab Insight Panel consists of individuals who bring a wealth of lived experiences as patients or care partners of people with serious health conditions, or they are actively practicing clinicians eager to collaborate with patients. In developing the Insight Panel, we emphasize diversity in race, age, gender, disability status, chronic illness experience, language, geography, educational background, and healthcare expertise.
The Role of Insight Panelists
Panelists contribute their unique perspectives to help shape the future of health technology and research. By participating in discussions and evaluations, they ensure that the needs and concerns of patients, care partners, and healthcare professionals are represented at every step of the process.
Key Attributes of Insight Panelists
When developing the Insight Panel, we sought individuals who bring the following qualities to their work:
- Empathy & Broad Perspective: Panelists demonstrate empathy for diverse health challenges and can think beyond their own experiences to consider the needs of others.
- Curiosity & Willingness to Learn: They show curiosity for innovative healthcare solutions and are open to learning how to serve effectively as research advisors.
- Collaboration & Respect for Differences: Panelists enjoy working with individuals from varied backgrounds and are skilled in active listening and respectful communication.
- Constructive Participation: They contribute ideas and suggestions that enhance research studies, aiming to improve healthcare for patients and care partners.
- Confidentiality & Professionalism: Panelists maintain confidentiality and discretion, bringing a positive and solution-oriented approach to discussions.
OpenNotes Lab Insight Panel contact
Inspiration
| Engagement Resources | Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) |
| Dissemination, Implementation, Communication, and Engagement: A guide for health researchers | Data Science to Patient Value Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
| Patient Engagement Studio | University of South Carolina |
| A step-by-step guide to peer review: a template for patients and novice reviewers | BMJ Health & Care Informatics (2021) |
Commitment & Compensation
All Insight Panelists sign a confidentiality agreement with Beth Israel Lahey Health and complete a Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure form. Participants receive compensation for their time and contributions. Patient and care partner advocates are compensated at the same level as clinician panelists, with honoraria varying depending on the project.
Panelists opt in to projects that align with their interests. No special training is required, but panelists must be willing to share their lived experiences and consider other perspectives.
Funding
The OpenNotes Lab Insight Panel is funded by a combination of government and foundation grants, as well as support from industry partners. If you are interested in suggesting a project for the Insight Panel, contact Amanda Norris.
