Original First model	Clarification and additions
Facilitate
Facilitating the involvement of partners in team meetings (e.g. by providing reimbursement and working in pairs). Inclusion at an early stage, when partners can fully contribute to the research questions and the desired methods and outcomes, is preferable. The role of the principal investigator (PI) is a key	Facilitate refers to creating practical conditions and eliminating barriers for structural collaboration. It deals with procedural, environmental and physical factors. The PI is responsible for facilitating inclusive conditions for participative research, among which adequate instruction and support of the actual researcher are important
Identify
Identify partners	Identify partners
It is recommended that suitable partners are identified through the clinic or through patient organizations. Partners require in‐depth experience with health issues, an ability to review and discuss information, and the confidence to step out of the ‘patient’ role	Identifying partners through professionals in the clinic in which the partners will be working proved to be the preferred method of recruitment
	Clear guidance for researchers should be provided regarding minimum selection criteria
Identify projects	Identify projects
Projects addressing clinical interventions, outcomes or service delivery issues could benefit most from partner involvement.	More detailed criteria need to be developed for identifying projects that are likely to benefit from patient involvement
Identify tasks	Identify tasks
The term ‘roles’ refers to research tasks that partners fulfil, such as reviewing draft protocols and questionnaires, analysing qualitative data, interpreting results and giving presentations. A job description is helpful	Separating ‘roles’ from ‘tasks’ bring clarity into the dialogue between partners and professionals. Partners can have different roles representing different levels of involvement. Tasks refer to practical activities that partners can do to contribute in subsequent phases of the research process. Roles as well as tasks need to be regularly evaluated
	Identify professionals
	In the context of implementing a network of partners, it is useful to add the concept of ‘identifying professionals’ to the model. Relevant criteria include motivation and the ability to accept partners as collaborating members of the research team
Respect
For a successful partnership, mutual respect is a prerequisite. Respect is associated with confidentiality and acknowledgement of the contribution of the partner.	Recurrent reflection on the quality of the collaboration to discuss questions about communication, sharing power, feeling part of the team and feeling rewarded for contributions is important. All participants need to be aware of the dynamics of establishing new partnerships by recognizing that individual learning curves are valuable outcomes of the collaboration
Support
Support is defined as all actions taken to help partners to work and communicate in a successful partnership, for example, by creating peer support or organizing a work place at the institute	Support refers to individual encouragement, communication and personal empowerment
	Support should also be offered to professionals. Skills for and attitudes towards creating equal partnerships do not come automatically. Professionals require support tailored to their personal needs and competences. This kind of support might be organized under the supervision of the PI
Training
Training is considered essential for partners. During training, the focus should lie on basic understanding of the research process and of measuring outcomes	Partners should be explained in advance about the limitations set by ethics committees, national law or scientific rigour. For example, partners should understand that validated questionnaires cannot be adjusted easily
	Professionals should be provided with information about the principles of participative research, how to include partners in their projects, examples of the added value of experiential knowledge and practical dos and don'ts related to communication