Why are patients not more involved in their own safety? A questionnaire-based survey in a multi-ethnic North London hospital population

Towards better care: Comprehensive review of patient-reported patient engagement instruments in healthcare

OBJECTIVE

Patient engagement is widely recognized as essential for improving healthcare quality and reducing costs; however, its formal evaluation presents significant challenges. The aim of this review was to assess instruments for measuring patient engagement in healthcare from the patients' perspective and to evaluate their psychometric properties.

METHODS

A systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of patient-reported questionnaires assessing patient engagement. Studies published up to August 4, 2024, were included and appraised using the COSMIN checklist.

RESULTS

Forty-one studies were included in this review. The most commonly used content to describe patient engagement were 'preference', 'experiences', 'willingness', and 'informative feedback'. Few patient engagement questionnaires were designed for specific populations and lack theoretical foundation.

CONCLUSION

Further research is essential to develop valid, reliable, and feasible methodologies for assessing patient engagement within the framework of ongoing care quality improvement.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Evaluating patient engagement instruments aids in developing reliable and valid tools that better align with patient needs and preferences.

Patient Participation in Medication Safety for Noncommunicable Diseases: A Qualitative Study of General Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Outpatients' Perspectives in Beijing

Purpose

Our study aimed to explore the current status of patient participation in medication safety from the perspectives of general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, and outpatients in Beijing, China.

Patients and Methods

A qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth individual interviews with GPs, pharmacists, and outpatients. Subjects were identified by purposive sampling until code saturation. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with GPs, pharmacists, and patients from community health service centers in three urban districts of Beijing, China. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the text was analysed using thematic analysis techniques including familiarising with data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the report.

Results

A total of eight GPs, seven pharmacists, and 18 outpatients were interviewed. Data analysis led to the generation of five key themes: (1) mutual trust between patient and GP, (2) communication with healthcare professionals, (3) acquisition of knowledge about medication safety, (4) implementation of medication self-management at home, and (5) different attitudes toward participation in medication decisions. Patients participated in medication safety in multiple ways. However, insufficient knowledge about medication safety, lack of awareness of the patient's role in ensuring medication safety, shortage of consultation lengths, and being misled by some information were problems with patient participation in medication safety.

Conclusion

This exploratory study contributes to our initial understanding of patient participation in medication safety. There were still many issues and barriers in the process of patient participation. Appropriate policies and measures, such as providing various forms of patient education, ensuring sufficient physician-patient communication, giving full play to the role of pharmacists, and making judicious use of digital health tools should be taken to improve medication safety by fully utilising the role of patients.

When attitudes and beliefs get in the way of shared decision-making: A mediation analysis of participation preference

INTRODUCTION

Certain sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., older age) have previously been identified as barriers to patients' participation preference in shared decision-making (SDM). We aim to demonstrate that this relationship is mediated by the perceived power imbalance that manifests itself in patients' negative attitudes and beliefs about their role in decision-making.

METHODS

We recruited a large sample (N = 434) of outpatients with a range of urological diagnoses (42.2% urooncological). Before the medical consultation at a university hospital, patients completed the Patients' Attitudes and Beliefs Scale and the Autonomy Preference Index. We evaluated attitudes as a mediator between sociodemographic factors and participation preference in a path model.

RESULTS

We replicated associations between relevant sociodemographic factors and participation preference. Importantly, attitudes and beliefs about one's own role as a patient mediated this relationship. The mediation path model explained a substantial proportion of the variance in participation preference (27.8%). Participation preferences and attitudes did not differ for oncological and nononcological patients.

CONCLUSION

Patients' attitudes and beliefs about their role determine whether they are willing to participate in medical decision-making. Thus, inviting patients to participate in SDM should encompass an assessment of their attitudes and beliefs. Importantly, negative attitudes may be accessible to change. Unlike stable sociodemographic characteristics, such values are promising targets for interventions to foster more active participation in SDM.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study was part of a larger project on implementing SDM in urological practice. Several stakeholders were involved in the design, planning and conduction of this study, for example, three authors are practising urologists, and three are psychologists with experience in patient care. In addition, the survey was piloted with patients, and their feedback was integrated into the questionnaire. The data presented in this study is based on patients' responses. Results may help to empower our patients.

Questionnaires Measuring Patient Participation in Patient Safety-a systematic review

AIM

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the content, validity and reliability of patient-reported questionnaires on patient participation in patient safety.

BACKGROUND

Patient participation in patient safety is one of the key strategies that are increasingly regarded as a critical intervention to improve the quality of safety care.

EVALUATION

A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. The content, reliability and validity of patient-reported questionnaires on patient participation in patient safety were assessed.

KEY ISSUES

Twenty-seven studies were included for data extraction and synthesis. The questionnaire contents most commonly used to describe patient participation in patient safety were 'attitudes and perceptions', 'experience', 'information and feedback' and 'willingness'. Internal consistency was evaluated for seventeen questionnaires, and test-retest reliability was tested for four questionnaires. Content validity was assessed among all included questionnaires, and structural validity was evaluated for twelve questionnaires.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research targeting the different safety issues is still indispensable for developing patient-reported questionnaires with great psychometric quality in validity, reliability, feasibility and usability in patient participation in patient safety.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Clinical nurses should consider the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity and structural validity of the questionnaires that have been positively appraised for methodological quality before use.

Perspectives of Dental Patients About Safety Incident Reporting: A Qualitative Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES

Patient reporting of safety incidents is one of the hallmarks of an effective patient safety protocol in any health care setting. However, very little is known about safety reporting among dental patients or effective strategies for engaging them in activities that promote safety. The goal of this study was to understand the perceptions of dental patients about the barriers and benefits of reporting safety incidents. We also sought to identify strategies for improving patient reporting of safety incidents in the dental care setting.

METHODS

We conducted 3 focus group sessions with adult dental patients (n = 16) attending an academic dental center from November 2017 to February 2018. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed using a hybrid thematic analysis approach with NVivo software.

RESULTS

Dental patients mainly attributed safety incidents to provider-related and systemic factors. They were most concerned about the financial implications, inconvenience of multiple visits, and the absence of an apology when an incident occurred. The major recommended strategies for engaging patients in safety-related activities included the following: proactive solicitation of patient feedback, what-to-expect checklists, continuous communication during visits/procedures, after-visit summary reports, clear incident reporting protocols, use of technology, independent third-party safety incident reporting platforms, and a closed feedback loop.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers a roadmap for proactively working with dental patients as vigilant partners in promoting quality and safety. If properly engaged, dental patients are prepared to work with dental professionals to identify threats to safety and reduce the occurrence of harm.