A Prospective Video-Reflexive Ethnographic Study of Direct Patient-Pathologist Interactions With Heart and Lung...

A clinic was created for patients to review their explanted organs with a pathologist.

To prospectively investigate the benefits of this type of clinic as perceived by both transplant patients and their pathologists.

In this prospective study, patients participated in a videotaped viewing of heart and/or lung explants by the patient and their guest(s) and pathologist (December 2017-August 2022). Patients received a 3D-printed replica of their explant. After viewing the explanted organ, patients and their guests participated in an interview to assess their experiences. Video-reflexive ethnography was used by pathologists for data collection and practice improvement.

Of 143 patients who viewed their explanted organ, 21 patients consented to having the organ-viewing session taped and to participate in a postviewing interview. The study group was comprised of 12 men; the median age was 57.5 years (range, 29-67 years). Five pathologists took part in reflexive sessions. The clinics were viewed positively by patients, providing an opportunity to better understand their disease. Pathologists had a similarly positive experience and gained important insights to patient journeys. Proposals for improvement were brought forward from both patients and pathologists.

Video-reflexive ethnography provided the opportunity for patients and pathologists to reflect on patient-pathology clinic appointments. This work serves as a template to build out pathology-based clinics.