Towards a Formal Framework for Modeling Patient Journeys.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient Experience Studies
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Patient journeys encompass interactions with numerous actors beyond healthcare providers.
• Existing patient journey frameworks are often institution-centric, limiting a holistic patient perspective.
• Understanding the full spectrum of actors is crucial for improving patient-centered care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel categorization of actors involved in patient journeys.
• To develop a patient-centric framework for understanding patient journeys.
• To extend actor categorization beyond traditional healthcare providers.

Main Methods:

• Empirical study involving direct engagement with patients.
• Qualitative data collection to capture patient perspectives.
• Thematic analysis to identify and categorize key actors.

Main Results:

• A new categorization of actors in patient journeys was developed.
• Identified actors include traditional healthcare providers, patient portals, and other external entities.
• The proposed categorization reflects a patient-centric viewpoint.

Conclusions:

• The proposed actor categorization provides a more comprehensive view of patient journeys.
• This patient-centric framework can inform the design of better healthcare services.
• Recognizing a wider range of actors is essential for improving patient navigation and support.