Background: Health technology has increasingly moved toward adopting a "user-centred design" approach to include the user/patient throughout the innovation and design process; however, few studies have evaluated the patient's experience of such an engagement. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the role of patient engagement (PE) within e-health innovation research. Method: Using qualitative descriptive methodology, semistructured interviews were conducted with eight participants (patient partners and research/development team members). Findings: Key themes were centred on enablers of, challenges to and methods of improving PE. Conclusion: PE must be prioritized from study conception, explicitly programmed into study conduct and valued by integrating patient partner input.