Patients' experiential knowledge and expertise in health care: A hybrid concept analysis

Although the concept of experiential expertise is relatively new in modern health care services, policy, and research, it has profound implications for improving participation in healthcare. The absence of theoretical and conceptual clarity has led to poor understanding and miscommunication among researchers, health practitioners, and policy makers. The aim of this article is to present a concept analysis of experiential expertise and to explain its defining characteristics, applicability, and significance. A combination of Rodger's evolutionary method combined with Schwartz-Barcott and Kim's hybrid model was selected as a method for the analysis of the experiential expertise concept. This method combines theoretical (24 definitions) with empirical data analysis (17 interviews). Antecedents, attributes, and consequences are determined. A comprehensive definition is provided, and the interrelatedness between experiential expertise and related concepts was mapped. Experiential expertise is a complex process exceeding the boundaries of individual experiences. Its availability cannot be taken for granted. Using experiential expertise in health care can facilitate patient empowerment leading to improved quality of life and health care. The present study offers clarity by proposing a conceptual model that can assist researchers, policy makers, and health care professionals in facilitating implementations in practice.