The Impact of Job Role on Health-Care Workers' Definitions of Patient-Centered Care. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moreau, Jessica L; Hamilton, Alison B; Yano, Elizabeth M; Rubenstein, Lisa V; Stockdale, Susan E
• Is Part Of: Journal of patient experience. Volume 7:Number 6(2020)
• Page Start: 1634
• Page End: 1641
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: patient-centered care -- health-care workforce -- patient-centered medical home -- qualitative research -- veterans; Patient satisfaction -- Periodicals; Patient satisfaction -- United States -- Periodicals; Patient participation -- Periodicals; Patient participation -- United States -- Periodicals; Patient satisfaction; Patient participation; United States; 362.1068
• DOI: 10.1177/2374373520910335
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2374-3735

Abstract

While patient-centered care (PCC) is a widely accepted aspect of health-care quality, its definition is still the subject of debate. We investigated health-care workers' definitions of PCC by level of patient contact in job roles. Our qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with key stakeholder employees (n = 66) at 6 Veterans' Affairs health-care locations in Southern California. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded for definitions of PCC, and analyzed by participants' self-described level of patient contact. Stakeholders whose role primarily involved patient contact tended to define PCC through: patient as a person, patient preferences, and shared decision-making. Stakeholders whose role did not primarily involve patient contact tended to define PCC through: patient-centered redesign, customer service, and access to services. Stakeholders with more patient contact emphasized patient-level and interpersonal concepts, while those with less patient contact emphasized system-level and business-oriented concepts. The focus on PCC-as-access may reflect influence of changing institutional climate on definitions of PCC for some stakeholders. To facilitate successful PCC efforts, health-care systems may need to leverage differing but complementary definitions of PCC within its workforce.