Patient Experience In Primary Care Research Articles

Is Primary Care Patient Experience Associated with Provider-Patient Language Concordance and Use of Interpreters for Spanish-preferring Patients: A Systematic Literature Review.

Healthcare provided by a bilingual provider or with the assistance of an interpreter improves care quality; however, their associations with patient experience are unknown. We reviewed associations of patient experience with provider-patient language concordance (LC) and use of interpreters for Spanish-preferring patients. We reviewed articles from academic databases 2005-2023 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and Joanna Briggs Institute Checklists to rate study quality. We reviewed 217 (of 2193) articles, yielding 17 for inclusion. Of the 17 included articles, most articles focused on primary (n = 6 studies) or pediatric care (n = 5). All were cross-sectional, collecting data by self-administered surveys (n = 7) or interviews (n = 4). Most assessed the relationship between LC or interpreter use and patient experience by cross-sectional associations (n = 13). Two compared subgroups, and two provided descriptive insights into the conversational content (provider-interpreter-patient). None evaluated interventions, so evidence on effective strategies is lacking. LC for Spanish-preferring patients was a mix of null findings (n = 4) and associations with better patient experience (n = 3) (e.g., receiving diet/exercise counseling and better provider communication). Evidence on interpreter use indicated better (n = 2), worse (n = 2), and no association (n = 2) with patient experience. Associations between Spanish-language preference and patient experience were not significant (n = 5) or indicated worse experience (n = 4) (e.g., long waits, problems getting appointments, and not understanding nurses). LC is associated with better patient experience. Using interpreters is associated with better patient experience but only with high-quality interpreters. Strategies are needed to eliminate disparities and enhance communication for all Spanish-preferring primary care patients, whether with a bilingual provider or an interpreter.

The primary care experience of adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An interpretative phenomenological inquiry.

Studies of the lived experience of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) reveal a number of challenges patients face when interacting with healthcare providers that may be exacerbated by unwillingness or inability to quit smoking. However, none have explored, in-depth, primary care experiences among patients with COPD in community healthcare settings. The study investigated healthcare experiences of patients living independently in the community with COPD who smoked or had recently quit (at most within the last 5 years), seeking care in primary care settings. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) involving thirteen participants purposively recruited from social media posts in COPD and carer support groups, general community groups, community noticeboards and paid adverts on social media. In-depth interviews were held between February and April 2022 by phone or Zoom™ and explored patient experience of primary care, focusing on how smoking patterns, addiction and stigma impact upon and shape these experiences. Participants were aged between 45 to 75 years. Nine were female and two thirds were current smokers. Problematic experiences including time-constrained consultations, having to self-advocate for care "…go digging myself and then go and see him and say, can we do this, can we do that type of thing?" and guilt about smoking were common. Positive care experiences described non-judgemental interpersonal interactions with doctors, timely referral, proactive care and trust "I have an actual great trust for my GP… they're awesome, they'll look after you". Participants described how their care experience shifted as primary care adapted care delivery during COVID-19. Pro-active, empathetic care from general practitioners is desired from patients living with COPD. Stigma and fear of judgement was an important underlying driver of negative care experiences contributing to delayed help seeking from general practitioners.

HSD92 Relationship between Patient Experience of Primary Care and Their Utilization of Hospital Care: A Cross-Sectional Study in China

Strong primary care in a healthcare system, with a greater focus on prevention and early management of health problems, is considered to provide better quality care and expected to reduce unnecessary hospital utilization. This study aimed to explore the relationship between patient experience of primary care and their utilization of hospital care in China.

UTILIZATION OF VIRTUAL CARE IN POSTOPERATIVE TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: ASSESSMENT OF OUTCOME AND PATIENT CHALLENGES

Virtual physiotherapy has been provided to hundreds of patients at the Holland Centre during the COVID pandemic. As we plan for virtual care to be one part of our care delivery we want to evaluate it and ensure the care delivery is safe and effective.The objectives of this project was two-fold: 1) to examine the outcome of virtual physiotherapy and/ or a hybrid of virtual and in-person care in patients who received post-operative treatment following total knee replacement at the Holland Centre, 2) to explore the challenges of virtual care participation in the joint replacement population.Patients who received either virtual care or a combination of in-person and virtual care (hybrid model) based on the patients’ needs were included. Patient-related outcomes were the Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) and pain scale. Flexion and extension range of motion were measured before and after treatment. A modified Primary Care Patient Experience Virtual Care Survey was used to examine barriers for virtual care.Sixty patients, mean age 68(8), ranging between 45-83 years, 34(57%) females, who received either virtual care or a combination of in-person and virtual care based on the patients’ needs were included. Patients showed improvement in the PSFS and pain scores (p<0.0001). Flexion (p<0.0001) and extension (p=0.02) improved at a statistically significant level. A separate sample (N=54) (age range 50-85 years) completed the patient experience survey.A well-designed post-operative virtual physiotherapy program, initially implemented to maintain continuity of care during the pandemic, continues to be an important part of our model of care as we normalize our activities. Clear understanding of barriers to virtual care and mitigation strategies will help us create virtual care standards, meet our patient needs, optimize our care delivery and potentially increase the use of virtual rehab in the future.

Association between use of clinician performance information and patient experience.

To study the association between the collection and use of clinician performance information in physician practices and patient experience in primary care. Patient experience scores are calculated from the 2018-2019 Massachusetts Statewide Survey of Adult Patient Experience of Primary Care. Physicians were attributed to physician practices using the Massachusetts Healthcare Quality Provider database. Scores were matched to information on the collection or use of clinician performance information from the National Survey of Healthcare Organizations and Systems using practice name and location. We conducted observational multivariant generalized linear regression at the patient level where the dependent variables were 1 of 9 patient experience scores and the independent variables were 1 of 5 domains in the collection or use of performance information of the practice. Patient-level controls included self-reported general health, self-reported mental health, age, sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Practice-level controls include the size of the practice and the availability of weekend and evening hours. Nearly 90% of practices in our sample collect or use clinician performance information. High patient experience scores were associated with whether any information was collected and used, especially with whether the practice shared this information internally to compare. Among practices that used clinician performance information, patient experience was not associated with whether the information was used in more aspects of care. The collection and use of clinician performance information were associated with better primary care patient experience among physician practices. Deliberate efforts to use clinician performance information in ways that cultivate clinicians' intrinsic motivation may be especially effective for quality improvement.

Patient experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in Dutch primary care.

Changes in primary care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic could have affected patient experience of primary care both positively and negatively. To assess the experiences of patients in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study of patients from regions with high and low COVID-19 prevalence in the Netherlands. A qualitative study using a phenomenological framework was performed among purposively sampled patients. Individual semi-structured interviews were performed and transcribed. Data were thematically analysed by means of an inductive approach. Twenty-eight patients were interviewed (13 men and 15 women, aged 27-91 years). After thematic analysis, two main themes emerged: accessibility and continuity of primary care. Changes considered positive during the pandemic regarding accessibility and continuity of primary care included having a quieter practice, having more time for consultations, and the use of remote care for problems with low complexity. However, patients also experienced decreases in both care accessibility and continuity, such as feeling unwelcome, the GP postponing chronic care, seeing unfamiliar doctors, and care being segregated. Despite bringing several benefits, patients indicated that the changes to primary care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic could have threatened care accessibility and continuity, which are core values of primary care. These insights can guide primary care provision not only in this and future pandemics, but also when implementing permanent changes to care provision in primary care.

Pharmacist and patient experiences of primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic: An interview study

IntroductionA number of significant changes designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 were introduced in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ireland, these included fundamental legislative and practice changes such as permitting electronic transfer of prescriptions, extending duration of prescription validity, and encouraging virtual consultations. Although such interventions served an important role in preventing the spread of infection, their impact on practice and patient care is not yet clear. The aim of this study was to investigate patient and healthcare professional (pharmacist and general practitioner) experiences to understand the impact of COVID-19 on primary care and medication safety during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. MethodsA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was undertaken between October 2021 and January 2022. Participants included twelve patients, ten community pharmacists, and one general practitioner. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Only patient and pharmacist interviews were included. FindingsThemes from the interviews included: 1) Access to care, 2) Technological changes, 3) Experiences of care, and 4) Patient safety. Particular challenges identified included the difficulty faced by patients when accessing care, impacts on experiences of patient care, and extensive changes to pharmacy practice during the pandemic. ConclusionsThis study found that COVID-19 countermeasures considerably impacted patient and pharmacist experiences of primary care in terms of care and medication safety. While many changes were welcomed, others such as virtual consultations were received more cautiously likely due to the rapid and unplanned nature of their introduction. Further research is needed to identify how to optimise these changes to improve pharmacist and patient experience, and to understand the impact on patient safety.

The Health and Healthcare Outcomes of Trans and/or Non-Binary Adults in England: Protocol for an Analysis of Responses to the 2021 GP Patient Survey

Background: The large-scale quantitative evidence base to understand and improve health and healthcare outcomes for people who are trans and/or non-binary is still developing, although what research there is suggests that risk of poor health is high, and experiences of healthcare services are often poor. In 2021 the GP Patient Survey, which is carried out annually to measure patient experience in primary care in England, added inclusive questions about gender identity and trans status for the first time. Methods: This protocol paper pre-registers the methods that we will use for this work for a secondary analysis of these data, including both the statistical analysis protocol and early patient and public involvement work, to answer the following three research questions: (1) What are the (a) demographic characteristics, (b) health conditions, and (c) healthcare experiences of trans and/or non-binary adults in England? (2) Was there any difference in whether people who are trans and/or non-binary had been asked to shield during the COVID-19 pandemic or not compared with all other survey responders? (3) Does the relationship between being trans and/or non-binary, and self-reported long-term mental health problems, autism and autistic spectrum disorder and learning disability vary by age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, sexual orientation or region?

How the Novel Person-Centered Primary Care Measure Performs in Canada.

The Person-Centered Primary Care Measure (PCPCM) is a relatively new and concise yet comprehensive measure of primary care quality. The objectives of this study are to administer the PCPCM in Canada and to understand whether there is an association between the PCPCM and sociodemographic and patient experience measures. The PCPCM was added to the routine patient experience survey administered at a multi-site academic primary care practice in Toronto, Canada. The survey was administered to patients with an e-mail on file and included questions on demographics, timely access, patient-centeredness, care continuity, and the PCPCM. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the PCPCM. We used 1-way analysis of variance to determine whether there was an association between the PCPCM and patient demographics and patient experience measures at the team level. We analyzed 2581 survey responses. The mean PCPCM score was 3.47. The PCPCM was higher for people with better health status (P < .001), those born in Canada (P = .036), those with higher educational attainment (P = .003), and those who knew their provider for longer (P < .001). There was no significant association between PCPCM and income quintile (P = .417). The PCPCM was significantly associated with all 9 patient experience measures related to access, patient-centeredness, and care continuity (P < .001). The 11-item PCPCM is a feasible and meaningful measure that reflects patient-reported access, continuity, and patient-centeredness and can be incorporated into primary care patient experience surveys to evaluate and improve quality of care.

The impact of smoking status on anticipated stigma and experience of care among smokers and ex-smokers with chronic illness in general practice.

To compare self-reported levels of 'anticipated' stigma and experience of care in general practice between current and ex-smokers living with COPD, other chronic illnesses, or those with no chronic conditions. Participants completed an online survey, advertised through social media, about their experience of care from general practitioners (GPs) in the past 12 months. Respondents self-reported doctor-diagnosed chronic illnesses. Experience of care and anticipated stigma was assessed using validated questions. Multi-nominal regressions were used to determine independent effect of smoking status on anticipated stigma and other indicators of patient experience in primary care. Patients with COPD (n = 161) reported significantly higher anticipated stigma scores compared to those with other chronic conditions (n = 225) and this was strongly related to delayed or avoidance in seeking help from a GP when needed. This relationship remained irrespective of current smoking status. There was no difference between groups for relational components of experience of care. Primary care patients living with COPD reported worse experience of care across several domains and were more likely to anticipate experiencing stigma in the GP setting irrespective of their current smoking status compared to those with other chronic illnesses or no chronic illnesses.

Engaging diverse community members to enhance analysis and interpretation: processing qualitative interview data

As the USA becomes more diverse, the inclusion of patients from diverse backgrounds in research becomes ever more important to ensuring a complete understanding of the patient experience in primary...

Mental health care integration and primary care patient experience in the Veterans Health Administration

BackgroundMental health specialists and care managers facilitate comprehensive care provision within medical homes. Despite implementation challenges, mental health integration is thought to improve patient-centered primary care. ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between primary care patient experience and mental health integration. Research designCross-sectional surveys from 168 primary care clinicians (PCPs) (n = 226) matched with assigned patients’ surveys (n = 1734) in one Veterans Health Administration (VA) region, fiscal years 2012–2013. Multilevel regression models examined patient experience and mental health integration, adjusting for patient and PCP characteristics. MeasuresPatient experience outcomes were (1) experience with PCP and (2) receipt of comprehensive care, such as talked about “stress”. Independent variables represented mental health integration— (1) PCP-rated communication with mental health and (2) proportion of clinic patients who saw integrated specialists. Results50% and 43% of patients rated their PCPs 10/10 and reported receiving comprehensive care, respectively. Neither patient experience or receipt of comprehensive care was significantly associated with PCP's ratings of communication with mental health, nor with proportion of clinic patients who saw integrated specialists. Among a subsample of patients who rated their mental health as poor/fair, however, we detected an association between proportion of clinic patients who saw integrated specialists and patient experience (odds ratio = 1.05, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.09, p = .01). ConclusionsNo association was observed between mental health integration and primary care patients’ reported care experiences, but a significant association existed among patients who reported poor/fair mental health. More research is needed to understand patient experiences with regard to care model implementation.

Understanding disparities in primary care patient experience.

To understand disparities in primary care patient experience. A serial cross-sectional study was conducted to understand disparities in patient experience at 2 time points (2014 and 2016). Disparities related to age, gender, neighbourhood income, and self-rated health were explored using 3 analytic approaches: stratification, logistic regression, and relative comparison across multiple demographic variables. A multisite family health team in Toronto, Ont. Patients in the family medicine practice who completed e-mail surveys in 2014 (n = 1171, 19% response rate) and 2016 (n = 1823, 15% response rate). Patient-reported access (timely access when sick, access after hours) and patient-centredness (opportunity to ask questions, involvement in care decisions, enough time with provider). Performance for all measures improved between 2014 and 2016, with the greatest absolute improvement seen in access after hours (61% in 2014; 75% in 2016). Patients residing in low-income neighbourhoods reported worse patient experiences than those in high-income neighbourhoods did, as did patients with poor versus excellent self-rated health, even after adjustment for other variables. For example, in 2016, 60% of patients residing in low-income neighbourhoods reported timely access when sick versus 70% in high-income neighbourhoods (adjusted odds ratio of 0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.95); 60% of patients with poor or fair self-rated health reported timely access when sick versus 72% with excellent self-rated health (adjusted odds ratio of 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.84). Comparing across demographic groups, patients with excellent self-rated health and poor or fair self-rated health reported the best and worst experiences, respectively, for all measures. In 2016, the average disparity between subgroups was largest for access after hours. In this setting, patient experience was worse for patients in lower-income neighbourhoods and those with poor or fair self-rated health. Access after hours demonstrated the greatest overall absolute improvement but also the greatest widening of disparities.

Multimorbid Patient Experiences With Primary Care at Community Health Centers in Shanghai, China.

Objective: Primary care in China is facing mounting challenges with multimorbidity as the aging population grows. Knowing how patients experience primary care may highlight the deficiencies of the care system and guide health system reform. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of primary care experienced by patients with and without multimorbidity at community health centers (CHCs) in Shanghai, China and to examine the factors influencing these experiences.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to December 2019 using the validated Chinese Primary Care Assessment Tool-Adult Edition (PCAT-AE). ANOVA was performed to compare the overall and domain-specific quality of primary care for patients with and without multimorbidity. Multivariate linear regressions were used to assess the factors associated with primary care quality while controlling for patients' sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics.Results: From 2,404 completed questionnaires, patients with multimorbidity reported higher PCAT scores in the domains of first contact-utilization (3.54 ± 0.55 vs. 3.48 ± 0.56, P < 0.01), accessibility (2.93 ± 0.49 vs. 2.86 ± 0.47, P < 0.001), and ongoing care (3.20 ± 0.39 vs. 3.14 ± 0.43, P < 0.001), while reporting lower scores in coordination (information system) (2.72 ± 0.41 vs. 2.79 ± 0.35, P < 0.001) and family-centeredness (3.23 ± 0.63 vs. 3.30 ± 0.64, P < 0.01). Multimorbidity (ß = 0.355, P < 0.01), education level (ß = 0.826, P < 0.01), district (suburb: ß = 1.475, P < 0.001), and self-perceived good health status (ß = 0.337, P < 0.05) were associated with better patient experiences in primary care. Patients between the age 61 and 70 (ß = −0.623, P < 0.001; >70 years: ß = −0.573, P < 0.01), with a monthly household income ≥6,000 RMB (ß = −1.385, P < 0.001) and with more than 20 outpatient visits the previous year (ß = −1.883, P < 0.001) reported lower total PCAT scores.Conclusion: The findings of our study suggest that CHCs in China have contributed to better primary care experiences for patients with multimorbidity in certain quality domains, including first contact-utilization, accessibility, and ongoing care. However, there is still room for improvement in care coordination and family-centeredness.

Sociodemographic inequalities in patients' experiences of primary care: an analysis of the General Practice Patient Survey in England between 2011 and 2017.

ObjectiveYounger people, minority ethnic groups, sexual minorities and people of lower socioeconomic status report poorer experiences of primary care. In light of NHS ambitions to reduce unwarranted variations in care, we aimed to investigate whether inequalities in patient experience of primary care changed between 2011 and 2017, using data from the General Practice Patient Survey in England.MethodsWe considered inequalities in relation to age, sex, deprivation, ethnicity, sexual orientation and geographical region across five dimensions of patient experience: overall experience, doctor communication, nurse communication, access and continuity of care. We used linear regression to explore whether the magnitude of inequalities changed between 2011 and 2017, using mixed models to assess changes within practices and models without accounting for practice to assess national trends.ResultsWe included 5,241,408 responses over 11 survey waves from 2011–2017. There was evidence that inequalities changed over time (p < 0.05 for 27/30 models), but the direction and magnitude of changes varied. Changes in gaps in experience ranged from a 1.6 percentage point increase for experience of access among sexual minorities, to a 5.6 percentage point decrease for continuity, where experience worsened for older ages. Inequalities in access in relation to socio-economic status remained reasonably stable for individuals attending the same GP practice; nationally inequalities in access increased 2.1 percentage points (p < 0.0001) between respondents living in more/less deprived areas, suggesting access is declining fastest in practices in more deprived areas.ConclusionsThere have been few substantial changes in inequalities in patient experience of primary care between 2011 and 2017.

Effect of Real-Time Feedback Devices on Primary Care Patient Experience Scores: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.

Patient experience is a critical measure for ambulatory primary care, although it is unclear how to best improve patient experience scores. This study aimed to determine whether use of a real-time feedback (RTF) device improved patient experience scores in a cluster-randomized trial. The primary outcomes were change from baseline in 9 Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS) question and domain scores most closely related to the RTF questions asked in a linear mixed effects model. There were no observed statistically significant intervention-related differences in CG-CAHPS scores in any of the 9 CG-CAHPS questions or domains (P = .12-.99). In intervention clinics, there were no statistically significant correlation between CG-CAHPS top box scores and RTF device scores (P = .23-.98). Clinics in an urban primary care network randomized to receive RTF devices did not significantly improve related CG-CAHPS question or domain scores nor were those scores correlated with RTF device scores. More research is needed to identify effective interventions to improve ambulatory primary care patient experience.

Patient-Reported Experiences in Accessing Primary Healthcare among Immigrant Population in Canada: A Rapid Literature Review.

(1) Background: Immigrants represent around 21.9% of the total population in Canada and encounter multifaceted obstacles in accessing and receiving primary healthcare. This literature review explores patient experiences in primary care from the perspective of immigrants and identifies areas for further research and improvement. (2) Methods: A comprehensive search was performed on PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, SCOPUS, and Google scholar to identify studies published from 2010 to July 2020. Relevant articles were peer-reviewed, in English language, and reported patient experiences in primary healthcare in Canada. (3) Results: Of the 1566 searched articles, 19 articles were included in this review. Overall, the finding from articles were summarized into four major themes: cultural and linguistic differences; socioeconomic challenges; health system factors; patient–provider relationship. (4) Conclusion: Understanding the gaps to accessing and receiving appropriate healthcare is important to shape policies, enhance the quality of services, and deliver more equitable healthcare services. It is therefore pertinent that primary healthcare providers play an active role in bridging these gaps with strong support from policymakers. Understanding and respecting diversity in culture, language, experiences, and systems is crucial in reducing health inequalities and improving access to quality care in a respectful and responsive manner.

Regional market factors and patient experience in primary care.

To evaluate the association between regional market factors and experience with patient-provider communication in primary care services of safety net hospitals. A retrospective cohort study with 933,407 patient experience survey respondents from 128 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals between fiscal years 2013 and 2016. Patient responses on 5 patient-provider communication questions were used to evaluate quality of care. Six regional market factors were used to characterize veterans' health care insurance coverage and affluence. A logistic regression was used to examine changes in individual-level patient-provider communication experience when regional market factors increase or decrease the demand for VHA primary care services. Our findings supported our hypothesis that changes in regional market factors shift patient demand for VHA care and affect patient-provider communication measured by patient experience surveys. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of positive patient-provider communication was associated with a regional increase (first to third quartile) of employer-sponsored insurance (AOR, 1.028; 95% CI, 1.001-1.055) and a decrease (third to first quartile) in the veterans' unemployment rate (AOR, 0.966; 95% CI, 0.944-0.990). Higher primary care capacity (first to third quartile) was also associated with positive patient-provider communication (AOR, 1.050; 95% CI, 1.018-1.082). Findings from this study raise concerns that safety net hospitals could be unfairly penalized by value-based payment programs and Medicare Hospital Compare. Such policies and programs could improve resource allocation by accounting for regional market factors before acting on quality of care measures.

Better Patient Experience is Associated with Better Vaccine Uptake in Older Adults: Multicentered Cross-sectional Study.

Older adults' uptake of influenza and pneumococcus vaccines is insufficient worldwide. Although patient experience of primary care is associated with vaccine uptake in children, this relationship remains unclear for older adults. This study examined the association between patient experience of primary care and influenza/pneumococcal vaccine uptake in older adults. We conducted a multicentered cross-sectional survey involving 25 primary care institutions in urban and rural areas in Japan. Participants were outpatients aged ≥ 65years who visited one of the participating institutions within the 1-week study period. We assessed patient experience of primary care using the Japanese version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (JPCAT), which includes six domains: first contact (accessibility), longitudinality (continuity of care), coordination, comprehensiveness (services available), comprehensiveness (services provided), and community orientation. We used a generalized linear mixed-effects model to adjust for clustering within institutions and individual covariates. One thousand participants were included in the analysis. After adjusting for clustering within institutions and other possible confounders, influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake was positively associated with JPCAT total scores (odds ratio per 1 standard deviation increase: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.40 and odds ratio: 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.46, respectively). Of the JPCAT domains, coordination and community orientation were associated with influenza vaccine uptake and longitudinality, coordination, and comprehensiveness were associated with pneumococcal vaccine uptake. Influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake were positively associated with patient experience of primary care in older adults. Consideration of patient experience, particularly longitudinality, coordination, comprehensiveness, and community orientation, could improve vaccine uptake.

Patient Experiences of Primary Care Provided by Nurse Practitioners in New Brunswick, Canada

In this article, we report on our investigation into how patients experience primary care provided by nurse practitioners (NPs). Data were collected through surveys distributed to patients receiving primary health care from an NP. Patient experience surveys included multiple choice and short answer questions providing descriptive statistics and qualitative data. Patient perceptions clustered into 4 themes: timely access to the NP, patient-centered care and NPs’ communication skills, focus on education and prevention, and NPs’ knowledge/skills. Patients value patient-centered care grounded in NPs’ expertise with a focus on health promotion and self-management strategies, resulting in greater personal control over health.