A patient expectations questionnaire for determining criteria for entrustment decisions

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient-Centered Care
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Patient engagement in medical curriculum development is crucial for patient-centered care.
• Effective methods for consulting patients, especially for entrustable professional activities (EPAs), are lacking.
• This study addresses the need for structured patient input in developing EPA assessment criteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a questionnaire for gathering patient expectations of physicians.
• To facilitate patient input in the creation of assessment criteria for entrustable professional activities (EPAs).
• To enhance the integration of patient perspectives into medical education and training.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method approach was used, including patient interviews, expert validation, and cognitive interviews.
• A questionnaire was developed to document patient expectations of their doctors.
• Pilot testing involved 87 participants with diverse health conditions at a tertiary hospital.

Main Results:

• The developed questionnaire effectively documented patient expectations regarding physician performance.
• Patients provided clear, concise free-text responses directly applicable to EPA descriptors.
• Analysis of patient responses was found to be time-efficient.

Conclusions:

• The questionnaire offers a feasible method for incorporating patient perspectives into EPA development.
• It enables educators to consult with patients and include their expectations in entrustment decisions.
• This approach supports the development of criteria for diverse clinical contexts.