As the demand for improving patient safety in healthcare continues to rise, novel and effective approaches are being sought to reduce the incidence of safety incidents within the primary care setting. One such approach, through the implementation of the Primary Care Patient Measure of Safety (PC PMOS), has been introduced in an effort to harness patient feedback as a pivotal resource in identifying and implementing safety improvements. This article delves into the study protocol aimed at assessing the feasibility of the PC PMOS in Australian primary care practices, as reported in the BMJ Open journal.
Introduction to PC PMOS
The PC PMOS tool represents a significant breakthrough in patient care, bringing a unique perspective to safety improvement by enabling patient feedback to actively contribute to the detection and prevention of safety incidents in the primary healthcare system. Developed and validated with a focus on capturing the critical insights of patients, PC PMOS has the potential to significantly transform how primary care teams identify risks and enhance patient safety.
Study Protocol – A Mix-Methods Approach
The feasibility study, as described in the BMJ Open (DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027327), adopts a mixed-methods approach to ascertain whether the PC PMOS tool can be practically and successfully integrated into the workflow of six primary care practices in Victoria’s southwest region. This comprehensive research strategy seeks to evaluate various dimensions of the tool’s implementation, including acceptability, practicability, intervention fidelity, and scalability, which are influential factors in the potential adoption and effectiveness of the PC PMOS.
Inclusive Patient Participation and Staff Involvement
The study invites patients over the age of 18 to participate by completing the PC PMOS during their primary care visits. Concurrently, staff at each practice are involved in forming safety improvement teams, which then utilize the insights gained from patient feedback to develop and implement targeted safety interventions over a six-month period.
Data Collection and Analysis
Diverse data collection methods, include audio recordings of staff meetings, observations at training workshops, reflexive researcher insights, document reviews, and semi-structured interviews, create a rich repository of qualitative data. Through techniques such as triangulation and thematic analysis, the study promises to offer an in-depth understanding of the tool’s impact and identify any potential barriers or enablers to its effective application.
Expected Outcomes and Dissemination
Upon the completion of the study, the findings will provide valuable information regarding the real-world utility of the PC PMOS for improving safety in primary care. The intent is to share the results through local and international conferences, as well as peer-reviewed publications, thereby contributing to the broader knowledge base around patient safety and the potential for patient feedback to serve as a catalyst for change.
References for Further Research
1. Hernan, A. L., Kloot, K., Giles, S. J., Beks, H., McNamara, K., Binder, M. J., & Versace, V. (2019). Investigating the feasibility of a patient feedback tool to improve safety in Australian primary care: a study protocol. BMJ open, 9(5), e027327. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027327
2. Ward, J., & Isden, R. (2013). Identifying risks and monitoring safety: the role of patients and citizens. The Health Foundation.
3. Lawton, R., & Armitage, G. (2012). The role of the patient in clinical safety. The Health Foundation.
4. Giles, S. J., Parveen, S., & Hernan, A. L. (2018). Validation of the Primary Care Patient Measure of Safety (PC PMOS) questionnaire. BMJ Quality & Safety. DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2018-007988
5. Ricci-Cabello, I., Reeves, D., Bell, B. G., & Avery, A. J. (2017). Identifying patient and practice characteristics associated with patient-reported experiences of safety problems and harm: a cross-sectional study using a multilevel modelling approach. BMJ Quality & Safety, 26(8), 899-907. DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2016-006411
Keywords
1. Primary Care Patient Safety
2. PC PMOS tool
3. Patient feedback in healthcare
4. Safety improvement in primary care
5. Australian primary healthcare study
Conclusion
The groundbreaking research on the PC PMOS tool offers a promising outlook for enhancing patient safety in primary care. By emphasizing the value of patient feedback, this study protocol underlines the innovative direction towards creating safer healthcare environments. Patients, healthcare professionals, and policymakers alike await the outcomes of this academic research, which has the potential to reshape primary care practice and reduce the incidence of safety incidents across the healthcare spectrum.