How Patient Partners Influence Quality Improvement Efforts

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient Engagement in Healthcare
• Mixed-Methods Research

Background:

• Patients are recognized as crucial stakeholders in enhancing medical care quality.
• A significant barrier to patient integration into quality improvement teams (QITs) is the limited evidence of their impact.
• This study addresses the need to understand how patient partners influence QITs and the extent of their contributions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the mechanisms through which patient partners influence QITs.
• To document the extent of patient partners' impact on quality improvement (QI) efforts.
• To assess the perceptions of patient partners and QIT leaders regarding the impact of patient involvement.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative (focus groups, in-depth interviews) and quantitative (online surveys) data collection.
• Qualitative data gathered from 17 patient partners and 11 staff members.
• Quantitative data collected from 47 patient partners and 56 QIT leaders.

Main Results:

• Patient partners influenced QI through symbolism, feedback on materials and policies, and suggestions for communication, education, and clinical processes.
• Nearly three-quarters of patient partners perceived a moderate to very large impact on QI efforts.
• A majority of QIT leaders reported that patient partners substantially improved the patient-centeredness of QI initiatives.

Conclusions:

• The integration of patient partners into ambulatory care QITs yielded positive experiences for all involved parties.
• Patient partner-driven changes were meaningful and contributed to an improved patient experience with care.
• Evidence supports the value of patient partners in enhancing the patient-centeredness and effectiveness of healthcare quality improvement.