Work

Positive Deviance Theory: Leveraging Compliments Data to Guide Strategic Planning for Patient Experience Improvement in a Large Rural Health Care System

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patient-centered care (PCC) has been called for as a solution to improving care quality and patient outcomes. Patient experience, termed care experience, is a measurable aspect of PCC and aligns with coproduction. Identifying patterns of positivity and high performers is a Positive Deviance approach that can inform strategic improvement of the care experience. OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristics of positive deviances from voluntary, unsolicited compliments from patients and family members about their care experiences. METHODS: The authors conducted a mixed-method analysis, including content and a thematic analysis of unsolicited comments from patients and families, submitted between January 2021 and January 2022. After removing duplicates and miscategorized comments, 213 compliments were included in the analysis using a single, blinded inductive coding to synthesize thematic statements. RESULTS: The main campus received the most compliments by location (89%); the most widely used patient sentiment was thankful (36.8%). Compassionate (26.8%), together with six others: competent (11.6%), communication (10.6%), cared for (8.5%), care team (8.0%), and supportive (8.0%), made up approximately 80% of drivers of care quality. Physicians (37.3%) and nurses (34.2%) were the most complimented personnel, although surgery (17.0%) were the most complimented services team. Similar characteristics were reported for exemplary individuals and their associated care teams. CONCLUSION: The results align with previously reported work by the Beryl Institute and CMS 5-star rating on key drivers of patient experience. This approach provides a method by which exemplars can be identified within health systems, and that information is used to guide improvement and organizational planning.

Source: The Permanente Journal

DOI: 10.7812/tpp/24.008

Authors: Kolu S Baysah Clark, Nivethitha Manohar, Jabeen Ahmad, Brant J Oliver

Institutions: UMass Memorial Medical Center, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Dartmouth Health, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice

Language: English

Topic: Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W4402379075