Partners in Care: Consumer Experiences With Professional Services

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient Experience
• Occupational Therapy

Background:

• Consumer experience significantly impacts health and education outcomes.
• Factors influencing positive and negative experiences with care require deeper understanding.
• Authentic partnerships are essential in professional service delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors determining positive and negative consumer experiences with health and education services.
• To understand these experiences from the perspective of service recipients.
• To identify insights for improving professional practice and patient partnerships.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with service recipients, including occupational therapists.
• Content analysis of interview recordings to identify emergent themes.
• Exploration of experiences on a continuum from negative to positive interactions.

Main Results:

• Positive experiences were characterized by themes from "Acknowledges Me" to "Shares Problem Solving."
• Negative experiences were characterized by themes from "Lacks Curiosity" to "Disregards."
• Occupational therapists reported "transformational insights" from their own care experiences, influencing their practice.

Conclusions:

• Findings align with core occupational therapy (OT) constructs.
• The study advances the understanding of authentic partnerships between service providers and recipients.
• Identifying specific themes provides actionable insights for enhancing consumer experiences in healthcare and education.