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Patient priorities of care in rheumatology outpatient clinics: a qualitative study
Author(s) -
Ward Vicky,
Hill Jackie,
Hale Claire,
Bird Howard,
Quinn Helen,
Thorpe Ruth
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
musculoskeletal care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1557-0681
pISSN - 1478-2189
DOI - 10.1002/msc.111
Subject(s) - medicine , psychological intervention , outpatient clinic , family medicine , nursing , qualitative research , theme (computing) , social science , sociology , computer science , operating system
Objective: To provide more understanding of what rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients want and need from an outpatient visit. Methods: 25 patients who experienced care in a nurse practitioner clinic (n = 10), junior doctor clinic (n = 9) or consultant clinic (n = 6) in a large teaching hospital in West Yorkshire were interviewed about their perceptions and experiences of care. Interviews were approximately 1 1 / 2 hours in duration and were carried out in a neutral environment by a research nurse. Interview data were subjected to atheoretical content analysis, which resulted in the identification of emergent themes. Results: Five main themes emerged from the analysis of interview data: 1) patients want to be communicated to clearly and effectively and value positive relationships with practitioners. These help to give patients confidence in the care they are receiving; 2) patients want to feel in control of their condition and tend to refuse interventions as a way of gaining control; 3) patients want to be given clear explanations during consultations, and want information in oral and written forms; 4) patients want to be able to access practitioners between scheduled appointments as a way of gaining reassurance; and 5) patients want to feel valued by society through having their difficulties appreciated and understood by others. Conclusion: This research adds to the body of evidence on what patients want from their rheumatology care, and each theme has clear implications for future practice. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.