Patient partnership in quality improvement of healthcare services: Patients’ inputs and challenges faced

Abstract

This research focuses on the perception of patients who participated in Continuous Quality Improvement Committees (CIC) regarding their contribution, lessons learned, and challenges encountered. The committees are engaged in a care partnership approach where patients are recognized for their experiential knowledge and treated as full members of the clinical team. Based on patient interviews, we conclude tha experience. They identify themselves as real partners in the care process and are grateful for the opportunity to improve the care provided to other patients by using their own experience and by brin relationship, particularly in terms of communication. They also become better acquainted with the complexity of the health system and its organization. However, their participation in CICs raised two challenges. The availability, as their professional schedules did not always allow them to participate in meetings. The second was their frustration with the slow decision-making process and implementation of necessary measures for quality improvement of healthcare and services. This study highlights the contribution of successful patient participation to quality of care improvement. KeywordsPatient engagement, quality and safety management, patient experience, patient partnership, quality improvement committee, quality of care, qualitative method

Patient Advisors: How to implement a process for involvement at all levels of governance in a healthcare organization

“…Indeed, as patients have an overall view of the care process, they are well positioned to share their knowledge to identify quality or safety issues and suggest solutions. [7][8][9] Their involvement can take various forms, such as participating in continuous quality improvement committees, 10 contributing to Lean Six-Sigma processes, 11 developing best practice guides, 12 or writing documentation for patients. 13 They can also be involved in healthcare organization (HCO) governance through user Patient Experience Journal, Volume 3, Issue 2 -Fall 2016 committees or boards of directors.…”

“…22 However, at the end of the implementation, the CSSS-E was merged with other establishments to form the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Mauricie-et-du-Centredu-Québec (CIUSSS-MCQ). 10 The objective of this article is to: 1) describe the implementation strategy over its 18 months; 2) analyze the activities developed, how the practitioners and patients involved viewed them, and the factors that facilitated or hindered implementation; 3) discuss the challenges generated by the merger and 4) provide recommendations for establishments interested in setting up a framework for patient involvement.…”

Patient organizations and primary care development: reflections by patients with chronic diseases

“…A change in the paternalistic philosophy to patent-professional relationship, partnership in services and recognizing the patient's knowledge as well as training the patients' might increase the effectiveness of health care. 7,9 In the present study, cooperation was asked for between specialist and primary health care, as well as between patient organizations, and they ask for a more active role in health care decision making. 8 A supportive and understanding policy environment is needed between the private sector and government organizations to think through options and get a process going to work for social change.…”

“…Health care providers have by tradition a monopoly on determining the course and outcome of patient treatment. 7 The professionals are considered to be the experts, and the ideal patient is both compliant and self-reliant. 1 However, patients with chronic diseases in Europe want to have a say in how the health care providers are held accountable, and as well want to have an independent say in priority setting and appraisal.…”

Patient and Family Engagement Summit

“…Some examples of practices underway at healthcare organizations include involving patients and families in clinical rounding, sharing patients_ medical record information with them, participating in shared decision making, using decision aids for determining what option of care meets the patient_s needs, including patients as part of quality improvement and research teams, and the developing patient and family advisory councils. [16][17][18][19] Nurses are in a unique position to lead efforts to engage people in their care because of their frequent presence in patients_ lives across the continuum. Furthermore, a shift is occurring in patient and family willingness to be more involved in the healthcare journey.…”