Real-world application: Case studies in qualitative research

Qualitative studies are a potent tool for us to understand how to improve patient health. The articles in the rest of this series show the Where (this field came from), What (exactly is qualitative research), Why (researchers should use these powerful methodologies), and How (to carry out qualitative research). In our article, we show you the So What? We present 4 case studies of qualitative research that led to changes in surgical practice. The first is a qualitative study that focuses on the ways that surgeons make decisions to operate in the elective setting and finds that external forces play a role and that shared decision-making with patients is lacking. The second case examines qualitative research in developing the new field of surgical coaching. If groups develop new programs without understanding surgeon's occupational identity, they will not be utilized. The third example is a case study where qualitative research reveals the different mechanisms through which team leaders and members are able to improve information sharing in the intensive care unit. The last case focuses on how qualitative research elucidated the main barriers for individuals to accept bariatric surgery as a treatment. All these cases highlight how qualitative research was able to identify ways to improve patient care that otherwise had not been previously understood or explored.