Understanding the service user’s experience in healthcare from a resource integration perspective An analysis of the patient's network

The service user is widely recognized as a key determinant of his or her own experience. However, little is known regarding how this experience is shaped in a service system. This research employs a resource integration lens to understand the service user experience. The objective of this research was to acquire a deep understanding of the healthcare service user’s resource integration process and the factors that will make the user an effective resource integrator in the health care service system. A qualitative research design was used to reach this objective. Patients with chronic disease were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The results revealed that the process of resource integration takes place during interactions between the healthcare service user and the service provider but above all in the customer sphere. This finding means that the service user’s experience is primarily shaped when the service provider is not present. Three types of factors affect the healthcare service user’s resource integration effectiveness: (1) individual factors, (2) relational factors and (3) systemic factors.