Patient Experience Journal (PXJ, The Beryl Institute)
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Perceived Social Support and Its Associated Factors in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textIntroduction: Hemodialysis is a vital, lifelong therapy for patients with end-stage kidney disease. Due to various physiological and psychosocial challenges, it is often perceived as traumatic. Social support is recognized as an essential coping strategy for managing chronic illnesses, including advanced kidney failure. This study aimed to assess perceived social support and its related factors among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2024 to February 2025 at two major hemodialysis centers in Kermanshah, a city in western Iran. A total of 230 patients were selected through convenience sampling based on predefined criteria. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and analyzed using SPSS version 24 with descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: Most patients (68.7%) reported moderate levels of social support. Family members 23.87 (6.68) and significant others 23.68 (6.67) were identified as the primary sources of support, while friends 8.46 (8.29) provided the least. Significant associations were observed between perceived social support and education level, marital status, and monthly income (p \u3c 0.05). Conclusion: Family members and significant others are the main sources of support for patients undergoing hemodialysis. Healthcare providers should strengthen family support systems and develop interventions to enhance social support. Psychosocial strategies such as support groups, counseling, and family empowerment programs can effectively contribute to achieving this goal
A Systematic Review of the Literature on the Validity, Reliability, and Utility of the NHS Friends and Family Test as a Method for Gathering Feedback on and Improving the Experiences of Patients
No full textThe NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) is widely used across the National Health Service to collect patient feedback on care experiences. Given its scale and cost, there is strong public and organisational interest in the validity, reliability, and utility of the FFT. This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the validity, reliability, and utility of the FFT as a method for gathering feedback on and improving patient experiences. PubMed and ProQuest databases were searched in September 2024. Studies were included if they met the inclusion criteria. Information extracted included study information (e.g., title, authors, publication year, research objectives, country), inclusion/ exclusion criteria (e.g., study design, population, concept, context) and evidence on validity, reliability, and utility. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Out of 33 articles screened, fifteen studies were identified for inclusion. Twelve studies provided evidence on the validity of the FFT, mainly showing limited associations between FFT scores and other quality indicators. Twelve studies explored utility, with mixed findings: positive responses motivated staff but offered limited value for quality improvement. Reliability was underexplored, addressed in only two studies. The limited and inconsistent evidence base raises concerns about the FFT’s effectiveness in supporting quality improvement and prompts questions about the robustness of existing findings.
PROSPERO registration number: CRD4202565082
Virtual Nurse Discharge: Improving Patient and Nurse Experience
No full textThis case study reviews the virtual discharge nurse (VDN) process and its impact on patient experience and nursing workflow as an exemplar of an effective telehealth innovation at a community hospital 23-bed Short Stay Unit (SSU). At the SSU, the daily turnover rate of more than 50% of the unit census challenged the nurses’ ability to provide comprehensive individualized discharge education. SSU patient experience scores measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) reflected opportunities to improve the discharge process. Therefore, the direct care nurses on SSU suggested a trial innovation of a VDN to improve patient care and streamline workflow. The team designed a VDN process to provide the patient and their caregiver with an individualized discharge plan with personalized education without numerous patient care interruptions. The goals were to improve patients’ discharge process experience and nurses’ perceptions of SSU efficiency and workflow stress. Quality improvement discharge experience phone calls (n = 192) were used to evaluate differences between in-person and virtual discharge patient experiences. While traditional in-person discharge provided some benefits overall, VDN is an effective method of discharge education that improves patients’ understanding of their medications and positively impacts nurses’ perceptions of work stress
“Better Than Any Medicine:” Understanding How Therapy Dogs Support Patients Presenting with Mental Health and Substance Use Concerns in an Emergency Department Setting
No full textIn Canada, emergency departments have a large number of patients with mental health and substance use concerns passing through their doors. Our research aim was to assess the impact that therapy dog visits may have for patients presenting with mental health and/or substance use concerns to an emergency department based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Working alongside an active patient advisory group and community-based therapy dog program volunteers, our mixed method approach utilizing ethnography, surveys, and interviews showed that therapy dog visitation had a beneficial impact on both patients and staff, thus improving the overall patient experience. Our study displays how the patient experience was enhanced via improved patient communication; a decrease in agitation or distress; providing a sense of connection from perceived non-judgemental support; an increase in hope and optimism; and a welcomed, calming distraction from local stressors. Further, staff also received benefit in their working conditions where they considered the therapy dog a member of the care team. This paper outlines how including therapy dog visits as a complementary aide in existing provisional care settings provides a more holistic and empathetic approach to mental health and substance use responses in the Canadian context, which is particularly relevant in busy, high-stress emergency departments
The Patient Experience of the #Hellomynameis... Campaign and the Value of Personalised Embroidered Student Uniforms
No full textBackground: The #hellomynameis... campaign was an international initiative implemented to improve Person Centred Practice by increasing the number of health professionals who introduce themselves to every patient and place them at the centre of each interaction. To add to this campaign, the idea of personalised uniforms for undergraduate health care students was introduced at one University in the UK, embroidered with the #hellomynameis...logo and their name. This paper will present findings from a study that explored this initiative from the patient perspective. Methods: A case study research design was used, with semi-structured questionnaires consisting of open and closed questions to gain quantitative and qualitative data. A purposive sample was used, consisting of 44 participants, representative of five clinical areas within one NHS Trust. The data was collected over a 6-week period and included patients who had been in hospital over 48 hours. Findings and conclusions: The quantitative data was overwhelmingly positive with 93% of participants agreeing that the #hellomynameis... campaign should be utilised in all healthcare environments and 82% felt that the visible reminder of the campaign was helpful for patients and positively influenced their care. The qualitative data showed that the logo and personalisation was seen as symbolic to patients as a reminder that introductions and patient interactions are fundamental to their experience. They saw these introductions as a gateway to conversation, a key aspect of PCP and inclusive care and an important catalyst for a therapeutic relationship, contributing to feelings of a comforting, human experience in hospital
Reliability and Validity of a Modified Version of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Clinician and Group Visit Survey 4.0 (beta) for Ambulatory Behavioral Health Care
No full textPatient experience is a fundamental indicator of healthcare quality. A patient experience survey that assesses telemedicine and in-person ambulatory behavioral health care is needed. This study aims to adapt the CAHPS Clinician and Group Visit Survey 4.0 (beta) to assess adult patient experience with ambulatory behavioral health services and its reliability and validity. Seven behavioral health subject matter experts (psychiatrists, therapists with master’s degrees, and primary care physicians) at an integrated delivery system aligned with an academic institution provided input to select a subset of items and make minor wording adjustments to the CAHPS survey. The adapted survey was administered to 504 adults receiving ambulatory care in a primary care-based behavioral integrated care model. Internal consistency reliability (item-total correlations corrected for item overlap with scale) was 0.49 (0.46) for a 2-item video scale, 0.90 (0.72–0.83) for a 4-item specialist communication scale, and 0.83 (0.84) for a 2-item staff scale. The communication scale had the largest correlation with the overall visit rating (r = 0.86), followed by the staff scale (r = 0.43) and an item about whether the visit started on time (r = 0.41). This study provides initial support for the reliability and construct validity of an adaptation of the CG-CAHPS 4.0 (beta) survey to assess behavioral health care. Providers of ambulatory behavioral healthcare can administer this survey to assess and improve patient experience
Leading Through Partnership: Development of a Hospital-Wide Family-Centered Care Collaborative
No full textThough it has been widely recognized that systematic patient and family engagement plays a critical role in strengthening the provision of family-centered pediatric healthcare, significant gaps in knowledge remain regarding how to develop and build a successful model of engagement. As a group of pediatric health care professionals invested in improving the patient and family-centered care provided by our children’s medical center, we saw the opportunity for family and organizational collaboration as a needed “first step” in model development. In this case study, we describe our institutional journey to build connections and resources though the development of a Family Centered Care Collaborative Summit. We review in detail the entire process we utilized leading up to the Collaborative Summit: the preparatory work of conceptualization, identifying partners, and leadership engagement, initial exploratory meetings, developing a needs assessment and analyzing the results, creating a collective vision and mission statement, and the organization of the Summit itself. We continue to grow as an organization towards systematic patient and family engagement. Though we are still early in our programmatic experience, we share our process for the consideration of other centers seeking to make institutional change and looking for models of how to begin
Holding Space: An Effective Intervention for When Hope Wanes
Get PDFHolding space is a person-centered, non-judgmental approach to working with clients. This approach goes beyond listening to client concerns; it entails deep listening and being present, developing trust with clients, and helping them connect goals with values. Within this brief account, the concept of holding space is described. What it is and is not is explained. Examples of holding space are woven throughout in order illustrate this concept. Finally, implications for professionals are provided
Patient Perspectives on Health Care Utilization at Two Free Clinics – A Qualitative Study
Get PDFMillions of uninsured Americans access health care through free clinics, but their experience with the medical system is understudied. This study sought to understand patterns in free clinic patients\u27 experience with healthcare utilization through qualitative and descriptive analyses. Data were collected through face-to-face, open-ended interviews at two free clinics in an urban Florida community. The clinics included one student-run free clinic and one community-based free clinic. Survey questions were developed based on prior literature and validated through expert consensus and pilot interviews. The interviewers conducted 74 interviews between May 7 and June 10, 2022. Responses were coded by the authors, one of whom has extensive training in qualitative analysis. Descriptive statistics were used. The most reported values in care utilization were cost (64%), quality care and access (64%), and patient experience (26%), which are consistent with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement\u27s Triple Aim of cost, population health, and experience. Basic medicine was the most common condition given by patients (73%) for free clinic utilization. About half of patients in this study sought care at other care centers. The most cited reason for seeking care outside of free clinics was an emergency (27%). Most patients (91%) would recommend their free clinic to others seeking care
From Fear to Hope: How Communication Transformed Our Pregnancy Journey A Personal Narrative on the Critical Role of Healthcare Communication in Patient Experience
Get PDFThis article emphasises the transformative potential of compassionate healthcare communication, particularly in the context of pregnancy loss. This personal narrative illustrates how varying communication approaches can significantly alter patient experiences, transforming anxiety-laden medical encounters into empowering partnerships with healthcare providers. A ten-month journey through pregnancy after a devastating miscarriage revealed the profound impact of communication quality on both clinical outcomes and emotional healing. The narrative contrasts three distinct communication environments: dismissive administrative systems that induce unnecessary stress, insensitive support staff during vulnerable moments, and a physician whose empathetic approach fundamentally transforms the entire pregnancy experience. Through a detailed examination of these encounters, this study demonstrates how information sharing, coupled with empathetic communication, actively contributes to successful clinical outcomes and emotional recovery from medical trauma. This personal account captures how inadequate communication amplified fear and anxiety, while compassionate, patient-centred communication gradually rebuilt trust and hope in the patient. The narrative illustrates how effective communication during labour provided the emotional strength that supported physical endurance, contributing to a successful natural delivery. Through the lens of our pregnancy journey, this narrative reflects on the urgent need for healthcare systems to recognise communication as fundamental to effective treatment, advocating for treating patients as whole individuals and understanding that the difference between fear and hope in healthcare often lies in how clinical expertise is communicated