Finnish emergency medical services managers’ and medical directors’ perceptions of collaborating with patients concerning patient safety issues: a qualitative study

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe emergency medical services (EMS) managers’ and medical directors’ perceptions of collaborating with patients concerning patient safety issues in the EMS.DesignThe study used a descriptive qualitative approach. Five focus groups and two individuals were interviewed using a semi-structured guide with open-ended questions. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research was used to guide the reporting of this study.SettingEMS organisations from Finland’s five healthcare districts.ParticipantsEMS medical directors (n=5) and EMS managers (n=14). Purposive sampling was used.ResultsTwo main themes, ‘Patient safety considered an organisational responsibility’ and ‘EMS patients’ opportunities and obstacles to speaking up’, were generated from the data. Under the main theme, ‘Patient safety considered an organisational responsibility’, were three subthemes: patient safety considered part of the quality in EMS, system-level models for handling and observing patient safety in EMS, and management’s ability to find a balance when using patients’ feedback for patient safety development. Under the other main theme were four subthemes: ‘social and feedback skills of EMS personnel and management’, ‘managements’ assumptions of patients’ reasons for not speaking up’, ‘EMS organisations’ different but unsystematic ways of collecting feedback’ and ‘management’s openness to develop patient participation’.ConclusionsThe nature of the EMS organisations and EMS assignments could affect a patient’s participation in developing patient safety in EMS. However, EMS managers and medical directors are receptive to collaborating with patients concerning patient safety issues if they have sufficient resources and a coherent way to collect patient safety concerns. The management is open to collaborating with patients, but there is a need to develop a systematic method with enough resources to facilitate the management’s collaborating with patients.

Sustainable Resilience in Healthcare Delivery: A Comparative Study on Safety Awareness in Hospital-Based and Pre-Hospital EMS in Times of Crisis

“…It acts as a stimulant for policymakers, administrators, and educators, promoting the concept of nurturing safety awareness as an integral part of the healthcare ecosystem, extending uniformly across both hospital-based and pre-hospital settings. This research also underscores the enduring necessity for ongoing education and training programs centered around patient safety [26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. It emphasizes the need to introduce novel strategies that embrace all healthcare providers, irrespective of their years of service or their operational environment.…”