Can the APO method be used for measuring soft data?: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Primary Health Care Research
• Medical Auditing
• Qualitative Data Analysis

Background:

• Assessing "soft data" in patient consultations, such as holistic care, presents a challenge in primary healthcare settings.
• Existing audit methods may not adequately capture nuanced aspects of clinical practice.
• The Audit Project Odense (APO) method was previously developed for measuring soft data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test an auditing instrument based on the APO method for measuring soft data, specifically focusing on a holistic view in primary care.
• To adapt the concept of a holistic view into measurable variables for clinical auditing.
• To evaluate the feasibility and utility of the developed APO chart in general practice.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving the development of an APO registration chart and subsequent test registration.
• Ten general practitioners (GPs) transformed conceptual categories of a holistic view into 30 variables for the APO chart.
• A pilot audit was conducted where eight GPs registered 255 consultations using the APO chart supplemented with Likert scales.

Main Results:

• The developed APO registration chart, enhanced with Likert scales, was finalized after three group meetings.
• In patient problem assessment, factual medical knowledge was crucial in 83% of cases, familiarity in 53%, and judgment in 36%.
• A holistic view was deemed necessary for outcomes in 43% of consultations and valuable in 25%, with GPs utilizing Likert scales frequently.

Conclusions:

• The APO method, in its initial development phase, shows potential as an alternative tool for auditing clinical consultations.
• The instrument facilitates the study of abstract phenomena like the application of diverse knowledge types within a holistic care framework.
• Further development and validation of the APO method are warranted for its application in primary healthcare auditing.