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Physician care in assisted living: a qualitative study
John Gerard Schumacher1, J Kevin Eckert, Sheryl Zimmerman
1Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA. jschuma@umbc.edu
Summary
This study explored how assisted living (AL) residents, families, and staff perceive physician care. Key themes include physician authority, communication, and care continuity, highlighting stakeholder influence on AL patient care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Services Research
- Qualitative Research Methods
Background:
- Assisted living (AL) facilities provide care for a growing elderly population.
- Understanding the perspectives of residents, families, and staff is crucial for evaluating physician care quality in AL settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify patterns and emerging concepts used by AL residents, their families, and facility staff to describe physician care.
- To explore stakeholder perceptions of physician authority, communication, and care continuity in AL.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative research utilizing ethnographic interviews with 43 participants (16 residents, 13 family members, 11 staff, 3 managers) across three AL facilities.
- Audio-taped interviews were transcribed and coded by a doctoral-level analysis team, focusing on physician-related themes.
Main Results:
- Four major physician-related themes emerged: magnification of physician authority, disagreements with physician care, physician communication, and continuity/discontinuity of physician care.
- Stakeholder perceptions significantly shape the experience of physician care in AL.
Conclusions:
- Physicians in AL settings should recognize the influence of residents, families, and staff on patient care.
- Consideration of stakeholder perspectives on physician authority, decision-making, communication, and care continuity is essential for improving AL care.