Exploring the perspective
of patients in how healthcare is delivered is desirable on ethical, utilitarian
and empathetic grounds. Encouraging patient ownership of their medical journey
leads to improved patient safety, clinical effectiveness, better adherence to
medication and treatment. A recent systematic review of the area (Doyle,
Lennox & Bell, 2013: doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012- 001570) provides evidence. It concludes that
patient experience is positively associated with clinical effectiveness and
patient safety, and support the case for the inclusion of patient experience as
one of the central pillars of quality in healthcare. Indeed, the authors of the
review state that; “Clinicians should
resist sidelining patient experience measures as too subjective or
mood-orientated, divorced from the ‘real’ clinical work of measuring and delivering
patient safety and clinical effectiveness”.
Strong words, physicians take note....
