THE MEDICAL CARE PROCESS OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES IN CANADA: PERCEPTIONS OF PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore how the perceptions of patients and physicians align throughout the medical care process of IBD, as proposed by a previous study. Various aspects of the experience of patients and physicians with the medical care process of IBD at different points in time were explored through a web-based survey administered to 210 IBD patients (members of Crohn's and Colitis Canada (CCC)), and 6 focus groups held with 28 physicians across Canada. Statistical tests (Paired Wilcoxon-Pratt test; logistic regressions) and inter-coder deductive thematic analyses were performed respective to each data collection methods. The results revealed that: 1) reassured patients were more satisfied with the care they received and physicians tried to fulfill their patients’ emotional and cognitive needs; 2) the patients’ stress level decreased and satisfaction increased as the medical process progressed, and physicians acknowledged that stress may have led patients to be more compliant with their recommendations; and 3) patient confidence is associated with greater involvement in care and an increase in satisfaction with the improvement of their condition, a component also recognized by physicians as fundamental to IBD management and monitoring. Overall, this study highlights an interconnection between the diverse experiences of patients and physicians in the medical care process, which led to the development of a trusting relationship between patients and physicians. Keywords Inflammatory bowel diseases; patient-centred care; patient and physician perceptions; mixt-method; medical-care process