Patient perceptions and expectations of an anticoagulation service: a quantitative comparison
study of clinic-based testers and patient self-testers
Engelsk titel: Patient perceptions and expectations of an anticoagulation service: a quantitative comparison
study of clinic-based testers and patient self-testers
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Författare:
Money, Arthur G
;
Barnett, Julie
;
Kuljis, Jasna
;
Duffin, Debbie
Email: arthur.money@brunel.ac.uk
Språk: Eng
Antal referenser: 79
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 15123792
Sammanfattning
Background
Government initiatives see the provision of technology-assisted self-care as one of the key areas in
which there is capacity for improving quality of care whilst reducing costs. However, levels of patient
engagement in self-testing and management (STM) remain low. Little emphasis has been placed on
understanding the patients' perspectives of the reasons for this limited engagement. Typically,
patient engagement in STM is achieved via the provision of patient education programmes, which
aim to enable patients to make the changes necessary to become competent self-carers. However,
placing the onus to change on the individual patient is unrealistic. If levels of patient engagement are
to be improved, patient needs and expectations of clinical services must be better understood and
service provision must be adapted accordingly.
Objective
Explore patient perceptions and expectations of clinical service provision and their views of having
and making choices about care.
Methods
Participants [N = 191, 103 patient self-tester managers (PSTMs) and 87 clinic-based testers (CBTs)]
completed the SERVQUAL and ChQ instruments to capture perspectives on service quality and
choice, respectively. A comparative statistical analysis explored the similarities and differences
between PSTMs' and CBTs' responses.
Results
Clinic-based testers' perceptions of service quality were significantly more positive than PSTMs', as
were their expectations of the ‘tangible’ aspects of service delivery. PSTMs' expectations of service
quality were significantly higher than their perceptions. PSTMs attributed significantly more value to
making choices compared with CBTs.
Conclusions and recommendations
To close the gap between PSTMs expectations and perceptions of service quality and better cater for
their choice preferences, service providers may benefit from taking into account the following practice
considerations: maintain frequent, timely, personalised and direct interactions with PSTMs; prioritise
investment in resources to facilitate patient/practitioner interaction over tangible facilities; ensure
that PSTMs are given the opportunity to make choices about their care.