Qualitative Research for Patient Safety Using ICTs: Methodological Considerations in the Technological Age

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Patient Safety Research
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Significant resources are invested in health information systems to enhance patient care quality and safety.
• Progress in patient safety, particularly with technology deployment, is hindered by an over-reliance on quantitative, positivist research.
• Existing research paradigms may not fully capture the complexities of technology integration in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the integration of qualitative and pragmatic research paradigms in patient safety improvement.
• To explore the value of subjective ontologies and pragmatist epistemologies in improvement science.
• To identify challenges and benefits of using qualitative methods in technology-focused patient safety projects.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of qualitative and pragmatic research in healthcare improvement.
• Illustration of challenges and benefits through qualitative research in patient safety initiatives.
• Focus on methods capturing user experiences, attitudes, and behaviors in context.

Main Results:

• Qualitative methods can enhance patient safety by capturing nuanced user experiences and contextual factors.
• Acknowledging subjective ontologies and pragmatist epistemologies supports robust improvement science.
• Challenges exist in applying qualitative methods to younger, technologically-centered healthcare professionals and patients.

Conclusions:

• A balanced approach, incorporating qualitative evidence, is crucial for advancing patient safety, especially in technology-rich environments.
• Qualitative research offers valuable insights for 'on-the-ground' error reduction and mitigation.
• Future research should address the specific challenges of engaging digitally native healthcare stakeholders with qualitative methods.