Partners in Care: Training Healthcare Professionals in Using Patient Feedback

Patients are the raison d'être of all those working in healthcare. Despite the recognised value of patient feedback, its integration into healthcare professionals' lifelong learning remains limited. At the same time, healthcare professionals have most of their contact with patients after completing their training, and with it, the biggest impact on patient care. We present the development and evaluation of an interprofessional, evidence-informed patient feedback training activity for healthcare professionals.

Using a design-based research approach, we conducted interviews with 12 healthcare professionals and 10 patients to explore perspectives on patient feedback and lifelong learning. Insights from these interviews informed the design of a two-session training program, which we piloted in an academic hospital and evaluated through observations and a survey. The first training session covers theoretical aspects of and patients' lived experiences with patient feedback. In-between sessions, healthcare professionals are tasked with gathering patient feedback in daily practice. In the second session, participants discuss experiences and engage in peer-to-peer coaching facilitated by a trained patient.

The training fostered a safe space for open dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals. Professionals sharing personal accounts on their own lived experience with care helped participants recognise healthcare professionals' humanity and highlighted the value of patient feedback in professionals' continuing development.

Engaging patients and healthcare professionals in co-designing training programs supports healthcare professionals' use of patient feedback. While trainings can help professionals incorporate patient feedback into their learning, genuine integration requires embedding feedback-seeking behaviours into daily practice.