Evaluating the extent of patient-centred care in a selection of ESC guidelines

Patient-centred care (PCC) is the cornerstone for healthcare professionals to promote high quality care for patients with cardiovascular conditions. It is defined as 'Providing care that is respectful of, and responsive to, individual patient preferences, needs and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions'. PCC can improve patient outcomes and allow patients and healthcare professionals to manage care collaboratively using best available evidence. However, there is no clear understanding how extensively guidelines incorporate PCC recommendations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incorporation of PCC into a selection of guidelines published by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Using a narrative literature review and expert consensus, the Science Committee within the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP) developed a checklist to determine PCC incorporation in clinical guidelines. Nine ESC guidelines were reviewed, with committee members independently evaluating five PCC aspects: patient voice and involvement, multidisciplinary involvement, holistic care recommendations, flexibility to meet patients' needs, and provision of patient tools. The level of congruence in item ratings by experts was then compared. The incorporation of PCC using these respective five categories, ranged from 4% (patient tools) to 53% in the 'multidisciplinary involvement' category.

Overall, the inclusion of PCC was low, indicating that patient perspectives and needs were less likely to be taken into account when developing, endorsing, or formulating recommendations. Future development of guidelines should ensure better incorporation of patients' perspective, in particular, and other PCC aspects highlighted in this study.