Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Within many advanced healthcare systems, patient advocacy associations are gaining a more relevant role in healthcare policy decisions. These associations provide help, representation, and voice to patients and citizens. However, although their role is important, a paucity of research exists analyzing their foundation dynamics, including their organizational decision, from a managerial perspective. To fill this knowledge gap, we formulated two research questions to investigate the motivations underlying the foundation of patient advocacy associations and the institutional pressures influencing the changes that have occurred in these associations throughout their evolution.
METHODS: Using a semi-structured questionnaire developed as part of a larger research project, we collected data about 31 patient advocacy associations operating within the Italian National Health Service. We employed qualitative analysis to examine the associations\' birth and evolution as well as the motivations and influences driving change within the sampled organizations.
RESULTS: Questionnaire responses provided information about the patient advocacy associations\' histories and highlighted their close links with the Italian National Health Service. Our results indicated the motivations for the associations\' establishment could be grouped into five categories: support at the system level, patient protection and support, actions to increase awareness, actions for improving patients\' health and quality of life, and dissemination of knowledge. We also identified the frequency and nature of the changes within the associations and explored the institutional pressures that influenced these organizational changes.
CONCLUSIONS: The results can be interpreted considering the organizational theories that focus on organizations\' establishment decisions and how external pressures impact organizations\' dynamics and evolution.
METHODS: Using a semi-structured questionnaire developed as part of a larger research project, we collected data about 31 patient advocacy associations operating within the Italian National Health Service. We employed qualitative analysis to examine the associations\' birth and evolution as well as the motivations and influences driving change within the sampled organizations.
RESULTS: Questionnaire responses provided information about the patient advocacy associations\' histories and highlighted their close links with the Italian National Health Service. Our results indicated the motivations for the associations\' establishment could be grouped into five categories: support at the system level, patient protection and support, actions to increase awareness, actions for improving patients\' health and quality of life, and dissemination of knowledge. We also identified the frequency and nature of the changes within the associations and explored the institutional pressures that influenced these organizational changes.
CONCLUSIONS: The results can be interpreted considering the organizational theories that focus on organizations\' establishment decisions and how external pressures impact organizations\' dynamics and evolution.
摘要：
背景：在许多先进的医疗保健系统中，患者倡导协会在医疗政策决策中发挥了更重要的作用.这些协会提供帮助，representation,并向患者和公民发声。然而,虽然他们的角色很重要,缺乏分析他们基础动态的研究，包括他们的组织决定，从管理的角度来看。为了填补这一知识空白，我们制定了两个研究问题,以调查患者倡导协会的基础动机,以及影响这些协会在整个演变过程中发生的变化的机构压力.
方法：使用作为较大研究项目一部分开发的半结构化问卷，我们收集了意大利国家卫生服务局内31个患者倡导协会的数据.我们采用定性分析来检查关联\'出生和进化以及动机和影响驱动样本组织内的变化。
结果：问卷答复提供了有关患者倡导协会历史的信息，并强调了他们与意大利国家卫生服务的密切联系。我们的结果表明，建立协会的动机可以分为五类：系统级别的支持，患者保护和支持，提高认识的行动，改善患者健康和生活质量的行动，和知识的传播。我们还确定了协会内部变化的频率和性质，并探讨了影响这些组织变化的机构压力。
结论：可以考虑组织理论来解释结果，这些理论关注组织的建立决策以及外部压力如何影响组织的动态和演变。
方法：使用作为较大研究项目一部分开发的半结构化问卷，我们收集了意大利国家卫生服务局内31个患者倡导协会的数据.我们采用定性分析来检查关联\'出生和进化以及动机和影响驱动样本组织内的变化。
结果：问卷答复提供了有关患者倡导协会历史的信息，并强调了他们与意大利国家卫生服务的密切联系。我们的结果表明，建立协会的动机可以分为五类：系统级别的支持，患者保护和支持，提高认识的行动，改善患者健康和生活质量的行动，和知识的传播。我们还确定了协会内部变化的频率和性质，并探讨了影响这些组织变化的机构压力。
结论：可以考虑组织理论来解释结果，这些理论关注组织的建立决策以及外部压力如何影响组织的动态和演变。
