Exploring the Reality of Using Patient Experience Data to Provide Resident Feedback: A Qualitative Study of Attending Physician Perspectives

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the attitudes of faculty and residents toward the use of patient experience data as a tool for providing resident feedback. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of teaching faculty surrounding patient experience data and how those attitudes may influence the feedback given to trainees. METHODS: From July 2013 to August 2013, we conducted in-depth, face-to-face, semistructured interviews with 9 attending physicians who precept residents in internal medicine at 2 continuity clinics (75% of eligible attendings). Interviews were coded using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Content analysis identified six potential barriers in using patient experience survey data to provide feedback to residents: 1) perceived inability of residents to learn or to incorporate feedback, 2) punitive nature of feedback, 3) lack of training in the delivery of actionable feedback, 4) lack of timeliness in the delivery of feedback, 5) unclear benefit of patient experience survey data as a tool for providing resident feedback, and 6) lack of individualized feedback. CONCLUSION: Programs may want to conduct an internal review on how patient experience data is incorporated into the resident feedback process and how, if at all, their faculty are trained to provide such feedback.