The Impact of Patient Autonomy Among Uninsured Free Clinic Patients

Uninsured primary care patients tend to experience barriers to autonomy in clinical decision-making due to limited choices of healthcare facilities and low health literacy. This study examined whether certain factors, including the component of patient-centeredness, are associated with patient autonomy among these populations and contribute to reducing disparities in healthcare. This was a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of free clinic patients aged 18 years and older who spoke English and/or Spanish. Multiple regression analyses were performed to understand factors associated with Ideal Patient's Autonomy. Data were collected from September to December 2019. Findings conclude that Spanish-speaking patients at the free clinic have a stronger belief in a paternalist model of the provider-patient relationship (P < .01). Better communication between patients and providers results in higher levels of autonomy (P < .01). Higher levels of educational attainment and better communication partnership were associated with higher levels of a free clinic patient's understanding of treatment risks (P < .01). This research study found that components of patient-centeredness are important considerations for improving patient autonomy among free clinic patients.

Patient Adherence to Health Care Provider Recommendations and Medication among Free Clinic Patients

Patient adherence is vital for the quality of health care outcomes and treatment efficacy, and reduces the economic burden on the healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with levels of general adherence among uninsured free clinic patients. This was a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of free clinic patients aged 18 years and older who spoke English and/or Spanish. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were performed to understand sociodemographic characteristics and factors associated with higher levels of general adherence. A higher level of general adherence were significantly associated with younger age (P < .01), levels of adherence to lifestyle recommendations (P < .01), and medication (P < .01). Having attended health education classes and having a primary care provider were not associated with levels of general adherence.This study suggested that a lower level of general adherence exists among elderly patients of the free clinic. In this light, providers need to consider unique strategies to enhance the provider-patient relationship by understanding patient's characteristics and providing sufficient information and explanation for treatment and medication.

Development and validation of the patient centeredness index for primary care

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To describe the development of the Patient Centeredness Index (PCI), evaluate its psychometric characteristics and evaluate the relationships between scores on the PCI and an established measure of empathy.

BACKGROUND

Patient centeredness helps patients manage multiple chronic conditions with their providers, nurses and other team members. However, no instrument exists for evaluating patient centeredness within primary care practices treating this population.

DESIGN

Multi-site instrument development and validation. STROBE reporting guidelines were followed.

METHODS

To identify themes, we consulted literature on patient centeredness and engaged stakeholders who had or were caring for people with multiple chronic conditions (n = 7). We composed and refined items to represent those themes with input from clinicians and researchers. To evaluate reliability and convergent validity, we administered surveys to participants (n = 3622) with chronic conditions recruited from 44 primary care practices for a large-scale cluster randomised clinical trial of the effects of a practice-level intervention on patient and practice-level outcomes. Participants chose to complete the 16-item survey online, on paper or by phone. Surveys assessed demographics, number of chronic conditions and ratings of provider empathy. We conducted exploratory factor analysis to model the interrelationships among items.

RESULTS

A single factor explained 93% of total variance. Factor loadings ranged from 0.55-0.85, and item-test correlations were ≥.67. Cronbach's alpha was .93. A moderate, linear correlation with ratings of provider's empathy (r = .65) supports convergent validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The PCI is a new tool for obtaining patient perceptions of the patient centeredness of their primary care practice. The PCI shows acceptable reliability and evidence of convergent validity among patients managing chronic conditions.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The PCI rapidly identifies patients' perspectives on patient centeredness of their practice, making it ideal for administration in busy primary care settings that aim to efficiently address patient-identified needs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.org Protocol ID: WLPS-1409-24372.

TITLE

Integrating Behavioural Health and Primary Care for Comorbid Behavioural and Medical Problems (IBHPC).

Patient-Centered Care and Associated Factors among Adult Admitted Patients in South Wollo Public Hospitals, Northeast Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

The US Institute of Medicine's "quality chasm" report defined patient-centered care as care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions. Services that lack patient-centered care lead to unimproved health status, decreased patient and family satisfaction, and poor patient outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess patient-centered care and associated factors among admitted patients in South Wollo public hospitals in northeast Ethiopia.

METHODS

This was a facility-based quantitative cross-sectional study design supplemented with qualitative analysis conducted from February 10 to March 10, 2020 across South Wollo public hospitals. A total of 618 admitted patients were selected using multistage systematic random sampling and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Five health professionals were selected for in-depth interviews. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify associated variables, and potential confounders were controlled using a multivariate logistic regression model, and P<0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Overall, 60.9% (95% CI 57.1%-64.5%) of patients received patient-centered care. Age 25-35 years (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.32-0.64) years, rural residence (AOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.62-4.02), social well-being (AOR 2.34, 95% CI 1.45-3.78), perceived high quality of care (AOR 3.69, 95% CI 2.07-6.04), length of stay (AOR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.79), and routine checkups (AOR 1.92, 95% CI 1.15-3.13) were variables significantly associated with patient-centered care.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that among admitted patients, three in five received patient-centered care. Age, residence, social well-being, length of stay, perceived quality of care, and routine checkups were significantly associated with patient-centered care. Therefore, working on provider improvements in providing consultation and facilitation and decreasing length of stay to improve patient-centered care is needed.

Perceptions of patient-centred care among providers and patients in the orthopaedic department of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the perspectives of 18 health care providers (nurses, consultant doctors, residents, radiologists, and physiotherapists) and 18 patients regarding best practices for patient-centred care (PCC) in a free private hospital in Pakistan, studying the congruence between provider and patient perspectives.

METHODS

Six focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted from January to March 2017: three with providers and three with patients. Focus group interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A deductive approach was used to analyse the data using the key dimensions of Scholl's framework, which was then complemented with constant comparison analysis to explore variability and similarity among participants across the six focus groups.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that providers and patients acknowledged maintaining a collaborative relationship with patients by using empathy. Patients and providers agreed that providers allocated time to counsel the patient and alleviated their fears. Family involvement was seen as a key indicator in decision making for patients. Some discrepancies were found between patient and provider perceptions of inhibitors to PCC, notably a lack of teamwork exhibited by providers and continuity of care offered postdischarge.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend practices of PCC that are congruent with non-Western settings where religion and family play a primary role in matters dealing with patients' illnesses. Our findings suggest the need for recurrent training to improve teamwork among providers; questioning the implicit agreement of patients who may be vulnerable to decision making of authoritarian figures in their family; and the inclusion of peer-support workers or community health workers to offer aftercare support to patients in their home.