Expansion of the Community Engagement Studio Method: Deepening Community Participation in Health Care Innovation

Background: The Community Engagement Studio (CE Studio) method has emerged as a valuable model for community participation in health innovation research, and we advance the model by expanding the timing and number of CE Studio sessions, as well as facilitation. Objectives: The authors expanded the CE Studio method first to include five sessions corresponding to five phases of innovation: a) health experiences, b) community readiness, c) design features, d) adoption, and e) sustainability. Community experts were engaged throughout the duration of the research. Second, the authors positioned the CE Studio Team to be deeply embedded within the research team and the community of interest through community health workers. Methods: The expanded CE Studio method was incorporated into a federally funded research project focused on a health technology platform. The CE Studio Team held five sessions with each of four community expert panels (total of 20 sessions) based on race/ethnicity and language: African American, Asian American, English-speaking Latinx, and Spanish-speaking Latinx. Conclusions: CE Studio sessions revealed community experts’ shared and unique evolving and deepening perspectives that show promise for expanding the model.