By: Omar A. Escontrías, DrPH, MPH, Senior Vice President, Equity, Research and Programs

The National Health Council (NHC) is excited to launch an update of our Patient Engagement Fair-Market Value Calculator! The FMV Calculator was created to assist in ascertaining a typical compensation range for patients, caregivers, and patient groups involved in patient engagement activities. This FMV Calculator has rates that are new as of March 2024.

Since the previous version launched in June 2020, it has been used by numerous patients, caregivers, patient organizations, non-governmental organizations, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, and academic centers that are engaging patients as partners in research. The FMV Calculator has been pivotal in helping the patient and caregiver community contribute to patient engagement in research.

You can access the updated FMV Calculator here.

The NHC defines patient engagement as, “[t]he active, meaningful, authentic and collaborative interaction between patients and other stakeholders across all aspects of the health ecosystem, where decision-making with regard to an activity or process is guided by patients’ contributions as partners, recognizing their unique experiences, values and expertise.”  This definition is also applicable across stakeholders and engagement activities (e.g., participation in an interview, focus group).

These engagements typically take place between patient organizations and/or unaffiliated patients and caregivers, and private companies (i.e., pharmaceutical manufacturers, academic centers, or other patient organizations). This Calculator was created to provide an estimated, reasonable, and fair hourly compensation range by looking at historical data for comparable roles. It does not include other expenses associated with patient engagement activities (e.g., travel expenses, supplies, IRB fee). As a note this FMV Calculator is not intended to provide compensation range information for companies who are engaging with patients for marketing purposes.

The NHC also acknowledges Ankura Consulting for their partnership and collaboration in the creation of Calculator.