Developing the Patient Falls Risk Report: A Mixed-Methods Study on Sharing Falls-Related Clinical Information from...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Informatics
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Effective communication between home care and primary care is crucial for integrated patient care.
• The interRAI home care assessment tool collects valuable patient data.
• Sharing this data with primary care providers (PCPs) can enhance care coordination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To co-develop an interRAI-based clinical information sharing tool, the Patient Falls Risk Report, with PCPs.
• To assess the usability and potential impact of this tool on primary care.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was used, combining semi-structured interviews with PCPs for initial development.
• An online survey using the System Usability Scale instrument was administered to evaluate the tool's usability.
• The study involved 9 participants in the interview phase and 27 in the survey phase.

Main Results:

• Most interviewees (n=9) found the report could support patient care by providing actionable falls-related information.
• Initial feedback highlighted needs for improved detail, clarity, and shared care planning support.
• The final report achieved excellent usability scores (83.4, 95% CI = 78.7-88.2) after incorporating suggestions.

Conclusions:

• Co-developing interRAI-based tools with end-users is key to creating sustainable interventions.
• The Patient Falls Risk Report demonstrates potential to enhance information sharing and care integration in primary care.
• Prioritizing PCP needs leads to more effective and usable clinical information systems.