Interventions to Engage Patients and Families in Patient Safety: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The involvement of patients and families is essential for improving patient safety. However, the role of patients and caregivers in patient safety has recently been receiving attention, and programs and interventions have been implemented for patients and caregivers. The objective of this systematic review was to identify the types of interventions to improve patient safety that focused on engaging patients and their families, and the effectiveness of these interventions. Searching four electronic databases, 2019 articles were obtained; of these, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies used intervention strategies at the “information” and “involvement” engagement levels. Interventions with strategies only at the information level mostly measured safety perception and were mostly found to be effective. Interventions with both information and involvement strategies measured more diverse outcomes, but their effectiveness was inconsistent. Further studies using a range of intervention strategies and outcomes with more rigorous methodologies are needed. PROSPERO registration number CRD42018096162.

The effects of a mobile application for patient participation to improve patient safety

“…To develop the APPSE, a systemic review of the literature on patient and family participation in patient safety activities was performed 8 . We also explored websites of the international organizations and existing applications that provide information or materials on patient safety.…”

“…To develop the APPSE, a systemic review of the literature on patient and family participation in patient safety activities was performed. 8 We also explored websites of the international organizations and existing applications that provide information or materials on patient safety. We examined health consumers' perceptions and experiences of participation in patient safety activities, as well as their needs related to patient participation, through a health consumer survey and focus group interviews in previous research 15 by our project team.…”

“…As part of improving patient safety, which prevents avoidable harm in healthcare, patients must be informed and knowledgeable healthcare partners who are empowered to have a voice and share their decisions. 3 , 7 , 8 Therefore, the role of patients and their caregivers in active participation in their healthcare has been emphasized as a prerequisite for patient safety. In most stages of patient care, patients are likely to contribute to their own care to prevent adverse events.…”

“…Patients participated in the following development and evaluation phases: (1) evidence collection: A systematic review of the evidence on interventions for patients' and families' participation in patient safety; (2) needs assessment: A health consumer survey assessing their perception and experiences of patient safety and focus group interviews exploring health consumers' experiences of patient participation in patient safety and their need for education on patient participation; and (3) an evaluation study: A quasiexperimental study to evaluate the developed APPSE and a focus group interview to explore users' experiences with the APPSE. The results of (1) and (2) have been described in detail elsewhere 8,15.…”

The Implementation of Evidence-Informed Family Nursing Practices: A Scoping Review of Strategies, Contextual Determinants, and Outcomes

“…There is also some indication of improved family functioning ( Östlund & Persson, 2014 ; Smith et al, 2020 ) and reduced health care utilization, such as length of stay ( Park et al, 2018 ). Family engagement practices have also been found to improve patient safety outcomes, such as a reduction in adverse events or a sense of safety and satisfaction ( Giap & Park, 2021 ; Lee et al, 2021 ; Mackintosh et al, 2020 ; Park & Giap, 2020 ).…”