Abstract
BackgroundDespite widespread adoption of patient feedback surveys in international health‐care systems, including the English NHS, evidence of a demonstrable impact of surveys on service improvement is sparse.ObjectiveTo explore the views of primary care practice staff regarding the utility of patient experience surveys.DesignQualitative focus groups.Setting and participantsStaff from 14 English general practices.ResultsWhilst participants engaged with feedback from patient experience surveys, they routinely questioned its validity and reliability. Participants identified surveys as having a number of useful functions: for patients, as a potentially therapeutic way of getting their voice heard; for practice staff, as a way of identifying areas of improvement; and for GPs, as a source of evidence for professional development and appraisal. Areas of potential change stimulated by survey feedback included redesigning front‐line services, managing patient expectations and managing the performance of GPs. Despite this, practice staff struggled to identify and action changes based on survey feedback alone.DiscussionWhilst surveys may be used to endorse existing high‐quality service delivery, their use in informing changes in service delivery is more challenging for practice staff. Drawing on the Utility Index framework, we identified concerns relating to reliability and validity, cost and feasibility acceptability and educational impact, which combine to limit the utility of patient survey feedback.ConclusionsFeedback from patient experience surveys has great potential. However, without a specific and renewed focus on how to translate feedback into action, this potential will remain incompletely realized.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.