Evidence-informed, experience-based co-design: a novel framework integrating research evidence and lived experience in priority-setting and co-design of health services

Abstract

ObjectiveTo describe a new co-design framework termed Evidence-informed, Experience-based Co-design (E2CD).BackgroundInvolving consumers and clinicians in planning, designing and implementing services results in the end-product being more likely to meet the needs of end-users and increases the likelihood of their uptake and sustainability. Different forms and definitions of co-design have been described in the literature and have had varying levels of success in health service redesign. However, many fall short of including people with lived experience in all aspects of the process, particularly in setting priorities for service (re)design. In addition, health services need to deliver evidence-based care as well as care that meets the needs of users, yet few ways of integrating research evidence into co-design processes are described. This paper describes a new framework to approach co-design which addresses these issues. We believe that it offers a roadmap to address some of healthcare’s most wicked problems and potentially improve outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We use improving services for people with high healthcare service utilisation as a working example of the Framework’s application.ConclusionEvidence-informed experience-based co-design has the potential to be used as a framework for co-design that integrates research evidence with lived experience and provides people with lived experience a central role in decision-making about prioritising and designing services to meet their needs.