Patient partnership in quality improvement of healthcare services: Patients’ inputs and challenges faced

Abstract

Néron A, Dumez V. Patient partnership in quality improvement of healthcare services: Patients' inputs and challenges faced. Abstract This research focuses on the perception of patients who participated in Continuous Quality Improvement Committees (CIC) regarding their contribution, lessons learned, and challenges encountered. The committees are engaged in a care partnership approach where patients are recognized for their experiential knowledge and treated as full members of the clinical team. Based on patient interviews, we conclude tha experience. They identify themselves as real partners in the care process and are grateful for the opportunity to improve the care provided to other patients by using their own experience and by brin relationship, particularly in terms of communication. They also become better acquainted with the complexity of the health system and its organization. However, their participation in CICs raised two challenges. The availability, as their professional schedules did not always allow them to participate in meetings. The second was their frustration with the slow decision-making process and implementation of necessary measures for quality improvement of healthcare and services. This study highlights the contribution of successful patient participation to quality of care improvement. Keywords Patient engagement, quality and safety management, patient experience, patient partnership, quality improvement committee, quality of care, qualitative method