Question of Quality Conference:Patient Insights

Pat Stafford, HCAVicky Davies, Morpace 

Heart wins over head Lack of patient understanding

around what ‘quality’ means

Most of us are outcome ostriches

Consultant credentials provide bait for the savvy

Care is paramount and all

encompassing

Its not what you say but how you say it

1. Lack of understanding • People are vulnerable, confused, bewildered and out of their depth• Heavy and haphazard internet usage, condition focused and panic

driven• Don’t know how to differentiate – what does good look like ? • Friends, family and trusted GP remain key• Location still drives, by default, and choices and ability to press ‘stop’

aren’t understood

So what ?• Education• Navigation• Trusted sources• Less can be more

2. Heart wins over head : most people are emotionally driven  

Rational, quantifiable, comparable – safety, standards, outcomes, facilities

Instinctively drawn to emotional benefits – care, people, overall experience

Rationally-driven Emotionally-driven

Clinical Outcomes

Safety Standards

Facilities & Equipment

Staff

Care

Food & Environment

Patient Satisfaction & Recognition

Measuring quality Feeling quality

NB: Severity of condition may impact on this

MajorityMinority

So what ?

• People need to hear about the benefits not the features – how will it help me ?

• Little examples can be incredibly powerful

Emotionally-driven

3. Most of us are ‘outcome ostriches’

EARS PRICKEDWant to know

more / everything

HEAD DOWNDon’t want to hear much /

anything

The majority of patients don’t want to hear much detail about clinical outcomes or safety standards (can vary by condition)

PRAGMATIC MINDSET

WORRIER MINDSET

I’m worried so don’t want to think about it

I’m worried so need to feel reassured

I doubt the worst could happen but I’ll deal with

it as and when

I doubt the worst could happen but let

me know my chances

Majority response

So what ?

• Approach outcome and other data with extreme caution

• Info needs to be available but not thrust at people

• Don’t assume that what looks and sounds good to us has the same effect on patients

4. ‘Care’ is paramount and all encompassing

IMPO

RTAN

CE Strong relationship between care, staff and facilities; the key ingredients of delivering exceptional quality and enabling optimal physical recovery

Optimal surroundings and nourishment play a key role in caring for the mind but always rank after other factors that impact more directly on physical care

Objective opinion deemed an important measure of quality for many

Facilities & Equipment

Food & Environment

Patient Satisfaction & Recognition

StaffCare

The fundamental reason you are in hospital so important to be treated with utmost expertise and kept entirely safe

Clinical Outcomes

Safety Standards

So what ?

5. Its not just what you say but how you say it

• Medical terminology can be scary• Clear benefits build reassurance – ‘what’s in it for me’• Statistics can back fire and raise concerns that weren’t previously there – especially in the private sector• Need to be positive and factual but not patronising

6. Consultant credentials provide bait for the savvy

• The more engaged will seek out consultant expertise

• Internet AND personal recommendation

• Consultants matter more than facility when it comes to perceptions around clinical expertise – private and NHS

Heart wins over head Lack of patient understanding

around what ‘quality’ means

Most of us are outcome ostriches

Consultant credentials provide bait for the savvy

Care is paramount and all

encompassing

Its not what you say but how you say it