Health Services Research Commons^™

Measuring Patient-Centered Care For Specific Populations: A Necessity For Improvement, Sara C. Handley Md, Msce, Ingrid M. Nembhard Phd, Ms

Patient Experience Journal

The measurement of patient-centered care (PCC) is a fundamental component of assessing and improving health care quality. There are a variety of PCC measures available which have been tailored to different health care conditions and settings. These distinct measures are valuable given the diversity of health conditions and contexts encountered in the health care system. However, the type of patient has received significantly less attention when measuring PCC despite the multitude of unique patient populations that exist. Specific patient populations raise several core challenges for PCC measurement to which researchers and practitioners need to attend: identifying what principles to measure, …

The Essential Nature Of Experience In A Time Of Crisis And Beyond, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

As we have engaged with community members around the world, the last few weeks have provided a unique window into the face of this crisis as we have seen not only the deadliest days on record, but have also had some of the most hopeful conversations at the same time. While we are and still will face challenges in the weeks to come, we too have seen humanity elevated in profound and powerful ways. While it can be offered with little argument that things will never be the same, in moving forward, we too can assert and I believe, that …

Are You My Doctor? Utilizing Personalized Provider Cards To Improve Patient/Doctor Connections, Jessica Colyer, Tina Halley, Melissa Winter, Jennifer Coldren, Martha Parra

Patient Experience Journal

In the setting of large, multidisciplinary medical care teams, it can be difficult for patients and families to identify their primary providers in the inpatient hospital setting. A review of our institutional patient satisfaction scores reflected a low rating with respect to families identifying their provider. We sought to improve patient and family connections with front line providers using personalized provider cards. We developed trading cards with pictures and biographies of the doctors on each card as well as an explanation of provider roles. The cards were piloted on a single inpatient unit without trainees. We had great provider engagement …

Effect Of Change In The Cg Cahps Survey Instrument Recall Period On Patient Experience Scores On Healthcare Utilization, Kimberley Marshall-Aiyelawo Phd, Usn, Msc (Ret), Richard Bannick Phd, Usaf, Msc (Ret), Sharon Beamer Aud, Melissa Gliner Phd, Terry Mcdavid Ms, Daniel Muraida Phd, Janice Ellison Usaf Nursing Services (Ret), Beatrice Abiero Phd, Alan Roshwalb Phd, Mark Andrews

Patient Experience Journal

Standardized patient experience survey instruments play an important role in informing healthcare quality and process improvement. However, any changes in standardized instruments can impact the interpretation, trending, and analysis of patient reported data. This study investigates how the change in Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG CAHPS) survey recall period, from 12- to 6-months, can impact the accuracy and quality of patient experience data. This study used primary survey data on patient experience collected in 2016. Analyses included tests of proportion and t-tests for a comparison of: 1) experience ratings, and 2) administrative data to …

Patient-Initiated Second Opinions During Acute Hospital Care, Roni Gagin, Neta Hagani, Esti Zigelboim, Shiri Shinan-Altman

Patient Experience Journal

Second opinions are used in medicine in order to make better-informed decisions. Only a few studies have examined patient-initiated second opinions, and even fewer have examined it in the context of acute hospitalization. It is not clear whether patients and families are aware of this right and how often they exercise it during acute hospitalization. The objective of this paper is to identify factors associated with the awareness and utilization of patient-initiated second opinions. A survey was conducted among 92 neurosurgical patients who completed a questionnaire that included information regarding: awareness of second opinion consultations, reasons for not seeking a …

Using Patient Experience In Optimizing The Total Knee Arthroplasty Patient Journey, Nienke Wolterbeek, Dieuwertje J. Hiemstra, Fiona A. Van Der Hoeven, Kiem G. Auw Yang

Patient Experience Journal

Information was used to improve the patient journey and to achieve patient-centered care. Patients (>18 years, purposive sampling) were interviewed once at one point of their total knee arthrosis journey within the hospital setting. Patients were accompanied and observed during their hospital visit by one of the 19 healthcare professionals which were trained as interviewers. A qualitative research approach with in-depth and semi-structured interviews using a standardized interview guide were used to gather an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of patients. Interviews were written out with the emphasis on positive and negative feedback, quotes and observations that were made. …

Refugees' Perceptions Of Primary Care: What Makes A Good Doctor's Visit?, Anne Mutitu, Bev Zabler, Jeana M. Holt

Patient Experience Journal

Redesigning primary care is a national priority, as the United States (US) struggles with issues of poor access, high cost, and suboptimal quality. Refugees are among the populations who suffer from America’s disjointed health care system, resulting in disproportionate health disparities. Although there are many studies on refugee health, few share refugees' perceptions of primary care. We asked local refugees who were seen for primary care services at a midwestern academic nurse-led clinic, what makes a good doctor's visit?  The clinic served as the hub of a federally funded refugee Community Centered Health Home (CCHH) pilot project. This qualitative study …

Is It Fair To Compare? A Patient And Family Experience Of Two Healthcare Systems And Neurosurgical Teams Within A Two-Week Period, Laura Miller Cpxp

Patient Experience Journal

As the mother of a 28-year-old son with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus, and as a healthcare consultant focused on patient experience and professional development, I have a unique perspective and skill set. Recently he experienced symptoms that included an excruciating headache, neck pain and lethargy. Fearing his ventriculoperitoneal shunt had malfunctioned, he went to the emergency room and was later admitted on the neuro inpatient floor for a three-day hospitalization. His original shunt had been placed in 1991, and he never had an issue with until August 2018. While in the hospital, he was informed that he was no longer …

Call For Submissions Special Issue - July 2020: Patient & Family Experience In Behavioral Health, Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) is excited to announce the call for submissions for its July 2020 special issue on the topic of patient & family experience in behavioral health. With a continued focus on the critical role of behavioral health in society today and a growing recognition of the importance of experience for those in behavioral health settings, a conversation on the practices in place and the identification of evidence of efforts leading to positive outcomes will be essential expanding the experience conversation in this setting. This special issue is open to all authors conducting cutting-edge research, implementing innovative practices …

Involving Patients And Families In A Social Robot Study, Lillian Hung, Annette Berndt, Christine Wallsworth, Neil Horne, Mario Gregorio, Jim Mann, Cindy Liu, Evan Woldum, Andy Au-Yeung, Habib Chaudhury

Patient Experience Journal

Innovative research in care practice for older people can benefit from the active involvement of patient and family partners. Involvement may begin with identifying priorities, then move to formulate research questions and to plan the research methods, to data collection, and finally to analysis and knowledge dissemination. However, in the field of dementia care, actively engaging patients and families in co-research is a novel practice that needs exploration. This paper describes the experiences and perspectives of two patient researchers and three family researchers, along with four clinicians (two physicians, a nurse, and an occupational therapist) within a social robot project …

Beneath The Surface Of Talking About Physicians: A Statistical Model Of Language For Patient Experience Comments, Taylor Turpen, Lea Matthews Md, Senem Guney Phd, Cpxp

Patient Experience Journal

This study applies natural language processing (NLP) techniques to patient experience comments. Our goal was to examine the language describing care experiences with two groups of physicians: those with scores in the top 100 and those with scores in the bottom 100 among all physicians (n=498) who received scores from patient satisfaction surveys. Our analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the language used to describe care experiences with these two distinct groups of physicians. This analysis illustrates how to apply NLP techniques in categorizing and building a statistical model for language use in order to identify meaningful language and …

How Do Healthcare Staff Respond To Patient Experience Feedback Online? A Typology Of Responses Published On Care Opinion, Lauren Paige Ramsey, Laura Sheard Dr, Rebecca Lawton Professor, Jane O'Hara Dr

Patient Experience Journal

Patients are increasingly describing their healthcare experiences publicly online. This has been facilitated by digital technology, a growing focus on transparency in healthcare and the emergence of a feedback culture in many sectors. Due to this area being previously unexplored, the objective of this study was to identify a typology of responses that healthcare staff provide on Care Opinion (www.careopinion.org.uk), a not-for-profit online platform on which patients are able to provide narrative feedback about health and social care in the UK. Framework analysis was used to qualitatively analyse a purposive sample of 486 stories regarding hospital care, and their 475 …

Assessing Capacity To Engage In Healthcare To Improve The Patient Experience Through Health Information Technology, Cynthia J. Sieck, Daniel M. Walker, Megan Gregory, Naleef Fareed, Jennifer L. Hefner

Patient Experience Journal

Patient engagement is viewed as a means to improve patient care, increase population health, and decrease health care costs. Efforts to improve engagement are prevalent across healthcare, particularly through health information technology (HIT) tools such as patient portals. However, we know that not all patients have the same ability to engage, leading to potential disparities. We present the Engagement Capacity Framework and suggest that examining capacity for engagement would improve our ability to address currently unmeasured factors that facilitate engagement. The objective was to examine factors that influence an individual’s capacity for engagement through HIT. We administered a paper survey …

The Digital Revolution Will See You Now: Transforming Patient Experience In The Digital Era, Emily Kagan Trenchard, Laura Semlies, Sven Gierlinger

Patient Experience Journal

Industry after industry has reinvented itself in response to upstart challengers and shifting consumer expectations that are the hallmarks of this new era. The same is true in healthcare, where we have weathered the introduction of the electronic medical records, patient portals and now interoperability. But to date our industry’s digital transformation has been guided largely by government regulation – leaving the design of the future of healthcare to be driven by policy makers and executed largely by IT departments. Meanwhile, most other industries have turned to a different guru for inspiration and guidance: the consumer. Northwell Health has undertaken …

Transformations In Health Information Technology And The Impact On Patient Experience, Cynthia J. Sieck Phd, Mph, Tim R. Huerta Phd, Ms

Patient Experience Journal

Changes in the way we collect and use health information, and the technology that enables these processes, have transformed the patient experience in health care. Compared to an earlier focus on using health information technology (HIT) for clinical purposes, patients are now also significant users of HIT, spurring the development of Patient-Facing Health Information Technology (PFHIT). These tools allow patients to use and interact with their health information and healthcare providers is new and transformative ways. We suggest that while these transformations have significant positive impacts, there are three important considerations which must be included as HIT continues to evolve: …

Does The Use Of Volunteers And Playbooks In Pediatric Primary Care Clinic Waiting Rooms Influence Patient Experience?, Tara Servati, Kalpana Pethe, Victoria Tiase

Patient Experience Journal

The purpose of this secondary data analysis was (1) to understand the use of a playbook as a positive distraction technique and (2) to explore the use of volunteers in the waiting room of an outpatient pediatric clinic setting. Specifically, the study examined the impact on perceived wait time, overall quality of care, and patient experience in a convenience sample of patients. Data obtained for a pilot program for improving patient experience were aggregated for exploratory analysis. Although significant differences in perceived wait time or patient experience were not found, the cohort exposed to both the playbook and volunteer intervention …

A Case Study Of The Patient Wait Experience In An Emergency Department With Therapy Dogs, Colleen A. Dell, James Stempien, Lindsey Broberg, Alicia Husband, Lacey Jurke, Betty Rohr, Jane Smith, Joseph Rubin, Susan Tupper, Donna Goodridge, Cathie Fornssler, Logan Fele-Slaferek

Patient Experience Journal

The quality of patient healthcare is a growing concern in Canada’s hospital emergency departments (ED) due to increasing wait times and associated adverse outcomes. A developing body of literature indicates that therapy dogs can positively impact the patient experience. In 2016, members of our team partnered with the Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatchewan to become the first ED in Canada to integrate a visiting therapy dog to positively impact the patient wait experience. The aim of this preliminary case study was to examine if and how this unique initiative impacted patients’ feelings during their ED wait. A brief questionnaire …

Patient Perception Of Telephone Follow-Up After Resection For Colorectal Cancer: Is It Time For An Alternative To The Out-Patient Clinic?, Marcus Gilmartin, Nicholas Leaver, George Hall, Helena Fawdry, Seung Lee, James Nicholson, Ramya Kalaiselvan, Raj Rajaganeshan

Patient Experience Journal

The economic reality of modern healthcare provides a timely reminder to clinicians of their duty to provide outstanding and cost-effective care. Although multiple guidelines outline investigation, management and surveillance of colorectal cancer, none advocate a particular delivery method. Nurse-led telephone follow-up in multiple specialties has demonstrated equivalent clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction when compared to traditional outpatient department follow-up. This paper aims to compare nurse-led telephone and outpatient follow-up, following surgical resection of colorectal cancer (CRC), focusing on patient perceptions. This cross-sectional study distributed adapted patient satisfaction questionnaire (PS-Q 18) to patients undergoing surveillance following CRC resection via either nurse-led …

How Have Patients' Experiences Of Cancer Care Been Linked To Survival? A Systematic Review, Saleh A. Alessy, Margreet Lüchtenborg Dr, Elizabeth A. Davies Dr.

Patient Experience Journal

Patient experience of care remains an important indicator of health care quality. Although studies show care experiences are associated with health outcomes for some conditions, the situation for cancer is unclear. New datasets on cancer patients in the US, Canada, and UK linking information on experiences and survival may enable an exploration of any association. This review aimed to identify studies linking any aspect of cancer patients’ experiences to their survival, to inform future analyses. We performed a systematic review using Medline database from January 1998 until March 2018.

The settings included outpatient oncology clinics, primary care, hospitals, and cancer …

Representing The Patient Experience Of Heart Failure Through Empathy, Journey And Stakeholder Mapping, Leanna Woods, Jed Duff, Erin Roehrer, Kim Walker, Elizabeth Cummings

Patient Experience Journal

Heart failure is a long-term condition requiring those affected to manage numerous self-care related activities. People with heart failure report multiple challenges accommodating self-care activities in their every-day life. The aim of this study is to (1) understand the experience of people with heart failure and their caregivers in the local patient population, and (2) visually represent these experiences to inform the design of a mobile health intervention supporting self-care. Seven patients and four family caregivers were interviewed using an empathic approach. Data was collected using rapid design methods including an empathy map to uncover patient and caregiver perspectives and …

One Patient's Experiences And Expectations In The Healthcare System: Complicated And Critical Illness With Rare Diagnosis Described By His Advocate, Jennifer Cademartori

Patient Experience Journal

The health care business serves as a profession in the art of human illness. But unlike other businesses there is the human side, the patient experience. These patients are the “customers” receiving the care, but they, unlike customers at a retail store, are vulnerable and scared and must trust their lives in the hands of people they don’t know. The paradigm must change to reflect how the health care business is handled from the eyes of the person receiving the care from the first office visit, through the inpatient stay, to follow up visits. Patient focused training on all levels …

Reframing The Conversation On Patient Experience: Three Considerations, Jason A. Wolf Phd, Cpxp

Patient Experience Journal

In experience, every voice matters, and each of those individual voices are contributing to an ocean of ripples that are positively impacting countless lives. In experience, no one organization owns, nor should claim to own all the answers, but many contribute to the possibilities found in elevating the human experience in healthcare. In experience, when we ensure this is a true strategic focus at the heart of healthcare we will find our way to achieving all the outcomes we aspire to achieve and know are possible in healthcare. This issue helps frame that reality through contributions from around the world …

Tell Me More: Promoting Compassionate Patient Care Through Conversations With Medical Students, Danielle Qing, Anjali Narayan, Kristin Reese, Sarah Hartman, Taranjeet Ahuja, Alice Fornari

Patient Experience Journal

Tell Me More^® (TMM) is a medical student driven project that represents a movement amongst the rising generation of physicians to practice humanistic, patient-centered medicine through a collaborative approach. Students interviewed patients to create individualized posters designed to build rapport and trust between patients and clinicians, remind patients of their special strengths by highlighting their unique interests and qualities, and encourage more personal and compassionate patient-clinician interactions in order to enhance the patient experience. Students asked each patient three questions: 1. “How would your friends describe you?” 2. “What are your strengths?” 3. “What has been most meaningful to …

Effectiveness Of The Communication Model, C.O.N.N.E.C.T., On Patient Experience And Employee Engagement: A Prospective Study, Agnes Barden, Nicole Giammarinaro

Patient Experience Journal

Northwell Health is a large integrated healthcare organization comprised of 66,000+ employees, 23 hospitals and over 650 medical practice locations located geographically across New York State. In an effort to align and structure interactions between patients, families and healthcare professionals, Northwell Health created a communication model, C.O.N.N.E.C.T. This unique, humanistic model is an acronym that stands for: Contact, Opening Greeting, Name/Title, Needs, Explanation, Closing and Thank. This prospective 3-part study explores the impact of the C.O.N.N.E.C.T. model on professional education, engagement and patient experience. A holistic approach was utilized including a pre and post e-learning module assessment, direct observation behavioral …

Perceptions Of Patient-Centered Care Among Veterans With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease On Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy, Salva N. Balbale, Andrew Gawron, Sherri L. Lavela Phd, Mph, Mba

Patient Experience Journal

The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of patient-centered care (PCC) among Veterans with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) on proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy using patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. We used three validated surveys to measure PCC concepts in a national sample of Veterans with GERD on PPI therapy. The Combined Outcome Measure for Risk Communication and Treatment Decision Making Effectiveness (COMRADE) measures patient experiences with risk communication and decision-making. The Patient Activation Measure (PAM) evaluates confidence and knowledge needed for self-management. The Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions (PACIC) assesses views of chronic care received. We …

Rules Of Engagement: Strategies Used To Enlist And Retain Underserved Mothers In A Mental Health Intervention, Maureen J. Baker Phd, Rn, Cnl, Beth Perry Black Phd, Rn, Faan, Linda S. Beeber Phd, Pmhcns-Bc, Faan

Patient Experience Journal

Patient engagement has been identified as both a goal and strategy to lower health care costs and improve health care outcomes. However, a lack of consensus and clarity exists as to how the process of patient engagement is implemented in clinical practice. Research addressing the underlying and crucial components of effective patient engagement is limited, leaving a significant gap as to how providers engage patients as active collaborators in their health and health care.

This study provides specific, detailed insight and description into the processes through which advanced practice mental health nurses engaged low-income depressed mothers in a mental health …

Racial/Ethnic And Geographic Differences In Access To A Usual Source Of Care That Follows The Patient-Centered Medical Home Model: Analyses From The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Data, Zo Ramamonjiarivelo, Delawnia Comer-Hagans, Shamly Austin, Karriem Watson, Alicia Kaye Matthews

Patient Experience Journal

This study examined racial and geographic differences in access to a usual source of care (USC) and it further explored these differences among individuals who had a USC that followed the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model. Using cross-sectional data from the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2008-2013), our sample consisted of non-institutionalized US civilians ages 18-85 (n= 146,233; weighted n = 229,487,016). Our analysis included weighted descriptive statistics and weighted logistic regressions. Although 76% of the respondents had a USC, only 11% of them had a USC that followed the PCMH model. Among respondents who had a …

Transforming Care Through Bedside Leader Rounding: Use Of Handheld Technology Leads To Improvement In Perceived Patient Satisfaction, Alison Tothy, Sunitha K. Sastry, Mary K. Springman, Heather M. Limper, John Fahrenbach, Susan M. Murphy

Patient Experience Journal

When consistently executed, leader rounding has the ability to capture actionable information ensuring delivery of safe and effective patient care, identifying excellence among staff, and bringing opportunities for improvement. Our team set out to create an effective, standardized approach to targeted, daily, technology-driven leader rounding with the goal of integrating real-time patient feedback into the care experience. An application on handheld computer tablets was tailored and integrated with the hospital’s admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) feed, allowing for streamlining of the rounding process by creation of workflow templates. Additionally, capabilities to receive and send alerts across disciplines were integrated in …

Can Specific Feedback Improve Patients’ Satisfaction With Hospitalist Physicians? A Feasibility Study Using A Validated Tool To Assess Inpatient Satisfaction, Sarah E. Richards, Rachel Thompson, Steven Paulmeyer, Ashvita Garg, Sarah Malik, Kristy Carlson, Elizabeth Lyden, Jason Shiffermiller

Patient Experience Journal

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a patient satisfaction survey utilized for hospital reimbursement calculations. It is not, however, considered a valid measure of individual physician performance. The object of this study was to determine if the “Tool to Assess Inpatient Satisfaction with Care from Hospitalists” (TAISCH) instrument could be leveraged to improve patient satisfaction. A pragmatic pre/post study was conducted with adult inpatients admitted to either teaching or non-teaching general internal medicine services at a large mid-western academic medical center. TAISCH surveys were administered to patients (n=192) who were able to identify their hospitalist …

Developing The First Pan-Canadian Acute Care Patient Experiences Survey, Salima Hadibhai, Jeanie Lacroix, Kira Leeb

Patient Experience Journal

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) in partnership with stakeholders sought to develop the first pan-Canadian patient experiences survey for inpatient care (CPES-IC). The goal was to provide a national survey standard for comparative patient experience measures to facilitate benchmarking for quality improvement. A cognitive and pilot testing study design was performed using survey data from adult inpatient care settings. Participants included the inter-jurisdictional members (IJ), survey subject matter experts and CIHI (The Group). Cognitive testing of the survey took place in three Canadian jurisdictions in English and French languages. Thirty-nine individuals participated in one-on-one interviews. During pilot testing, …