Patient engagement study to identify and improve surgical experience

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Improvement
• Patient-Centered Care
• Surgical Experience Optimization

Background:

• Patient engagement involves active partnerships between patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
• The study aimed to enhance healthcare delivery through collaborative patient-provider relationships.
• Improving the surgical experience was the central focus for patient engagement initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct patient engagement workshops to identify areas for surgical experience improvement.
• To develop targeted strategies for high-priority areas identified during workshops.
• To foster active partnerships between patients and healthcare professionals in surgical care.

Main Methods:

• Three in-person meetings were held involving faculty surgeons and patients.
• Workshops focused on identifying and developing strategies for improving the surgical experience.
• Participant engagement levels and identified priority areas were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Sixteen surgeons and 32 patients participated, identifying 63 improvement themes.
• Top priorities included physician communication, discharge process, and post-discharge expectations.
• Developed strategies included communication surveys, discharge resources, and home care guidelines, with over 85% reporting high engagement.

Conclusions:

• High levels of patient engagement were successfully achieved in the workshops.
• Key priorities for surgical experience improvement were identified collaboratively.
• Strategies were developed and implemented to address identified patient and surgeon priorities.