LINCOLN, Neb., January 2007 - Understanding how a patient perceives their medical care is crucial to improving the patient experience. Recent findings from the Joint Commission have proven that patients perceive medical errors in their care to cause dissatisfaction with their hospital stay. Findings show that patients categorize a broad array of problems as medical errors. For example, communication problems, responsiveness and falls are perceived as medical errors by patients based on a new study published in the January 2007 issue on the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.

The Joint Commission surveyed over 1,600 patients in 12 Midwestern hospitals. 39% of those polled expressed concern about at least one type of a medical error during their hospitalization. Patients who had longer stays or more serious illnesses were more likely to experience more concerns. The study found that a strong correlation exists between a patients concerns regarding medical errors and their overall satisfaction with their hospital stay.

Recent NRC Picker findings support the study and reveal that patient safety is of the utmost importance to both patients and hospitals. In 2003, NRC Picker developed a new module of survey questions that features a patient safety scale.

Patients identified specific conditions that they believed make it more likely that an error will occur. All groups patients, families, and care providers indicated that there was rarely one provider who appeared to have a complete picture of what was going on with an individual patient. As such, family members often filled the role of updating a new care provider with the patients status. Findings concluded that poor communication inevitably affected continuity and coordination of care.

Thomas E. Burroughs, Ph.D., at St. Louis University led the Joint Commission survey and he explained that clear communication and responsiveness is particularly important for patients. Patients may view a lack in clarity as a medical error. He noted that it is important that clinicians recognize these differences, and the importance of communication and responsiveness. Burroughs explained that programs aimed at training patients to play a larger role in preventing errors may need to be customized to address the fears and concerns of each patient.

Based on patient safety reports, NRC Picker findings indicate that patients and families strongly emphasized the need to be informed of procedures, medications, equipment, personnel changes, and their role as patient. Overall, patients emphasized that they want providers to be familiar with their specific conditions and treatments and that this was crucial in assuring their safety. NRC Picker research has concluded that family involvement is shown to be the key success of patient-centered care and can only be achieved though effective communication practices. In order to prevent misperceptions of patient safety, providers must work to create a clear channel of communication with their patients.

The Joint Commission study echoes these recommendations and suggests that communication with patients must improve. Specifically, it is recommended that hospitals consider routine measurement of patient concerns about medical errors as part of their overall patient satisfaction efforts. The study also concludes that incorporating patient attitudes into safety programs could help prevent medical errors in the future and enhance patient satisfaction with their overall health care experience.