1. Involving Patients with Multimorbidity in Service Planning: Perspectives on Continuity and Care Coordination.
- Author
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Schiøtz, Michaela L., Høst, Dorte, and Frølich, Anne
- Subjects
ACADEMIC medical centers ,PAIN ,GLAUCOMA ,RESEARCH methodology ,PATIENT satisfaction ,INTERVIEWING ,MEDICATION errors ,DIABETES ,BACKACHE ,MENTAL health ,CONTINUUM of care ,QUALITATIVE research ,PATIENTS' attitudes ,KIDNEY diseases ,MEDICATION therapy management ,QUALITY assurance ,OBSTRUCTIVE lung diseases ,PARKINSON'S disease ,OSTEOARTHRITIS ,MENTAL depression ,RESEARCH funding ,ADVERSE health care events ,INTEGRATED health care delivery ,CONTENT analysis ,DATA analysis software ,COMORBIDITY ,HEALTH planning ,HEART diseases - Abstract
Background: The prevalence of multiple comorbid chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, is increasing. Care provided to people with multimorbidity is often fragmented, incomplete, inefficient, and ineffective. As part of a research and development project focusing on improving care, we sought to involve patients with multimorbidity in the planning process. Objective: To identify opportunities for improving care by understanding how patients from a Danish University Hospital experience care coordination. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 14 patients with multimorbidity. Results: Patients with multimorbidity described important concerns about care that included: (1) disease-centered, rather than patient-centered, care; (2) lack of attention to comorbidities and patient preferences and needs; and (3) involvement of numerous healthcare providers with limited care coordination. Poor continuity of care resulted in lack of treatment for complex problems, such as pain and mental health issues, medication errors, adverse events, and a feeling of being lost in the system. Receiving care from generalists (e.g. general practitioners and healthcare professionals at prevention centers) and having a care coordinator seemed to improve patients' experience of continuity and coordination of care. Suggestions for service improvements when providing care for people with multimorbidity included using care coordinators, longer consultation times, consultations specifically addressing follow-up on prescribed medications, and shifting the focus of care from disease states to patients' overall health status. Conclusions: A need exists for a reorganization of care delivery for people with multimorbidity that focuses on improved care coordination and puts patient preferences at the center of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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