Patients' experiences with an obstetric telephone triage system: A qualitative study.
Antenatal care
Maternity
Midwifery
Patient satisfaction
Quality of care
Telephone services
Triage
Journal
Patient education and counseling
ISSN: 1873-5134
Titre abrégé: Patient Educ Couns
Pays: Ireland
ID NLM: 8406280
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
03 2023
03 2023
Historique:
received:
02
09
2022
revised:
01
12
2022
accepted:
16
12
2022
pubmed:
31
12
2022
medline:
28
1
2023
entrez:
30
12
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Telephone Triage Systems aim to provide a uniform and practical system for healthcare professionals in order to prioritize urgency of care. A disadvantage of telephone triage system could be that the conversations are experienced as less personal, as it uses a uniform procedure for every patient. Therefore, aside from the clinical relevance, patient expectations, experiences and satisfaction were studied. The purpose of this study is to explore patients' experiences with obstetric telephone triage. A descriptive, qualitative design to explore experiences after triage with Dutch Obstetric Telephone Triage System. Participants, recruited from two Dutch hospitals, were pregnant women who received triage by telephone. Semi-structured interviews were held. The following topics were discussed: expectations before triage, experiences with triage, waiting time, information and communication, approach of healthcare professional, and quality of treatment. Data were analyzed using open, axial and selective coding. Overall, the participants experienced the telephone conversation as satisfactory. This was due to the perceived professionalism with high accessibility and perceived reassurance. The approach of the professional was experienced as friendly and empathetic. Participants suggested that triage services could be improved by looking specifically at information provision. Explaining in advance how the service works can be helpful to create more awareness and to align better with expectations. Participants reported that they could tell their own story and most participants realized that the professional asked extra questions in order to quantify the seriousness of the complaints. The level of involvement in the next steps of their care episode experienced by respondents lead us to conclude that the professional intended patient-centered care. Improving the provision of information during waiting times and about the accessibility of the service can increase the quality of obstetric triage care. Patient involvement is necessary to increase trust and to meet the needs of the patient.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Telephone Triage Systems aim to provide a uniform and practical system for healthcare professionals in order to prioritize urgency of care. A disadvantage of telephone triage system could be that the conversations are experienced as less personal, as it uses a uniform procedure for every patient. Therefore, aside from the clinical relevance, patient expectations, experiences and satisfaction were studied.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to explore patients' experiences with obstetric telephone triage.
METHODS
A descriptive, qualitative design to explore experiences after triage with Dutch Obstetric Telephone Triage System. Participants, recruited from two Dutch hospitals, were pregnant women who received triage by telephone. Semi-structured interviews were held. The following topics were discussed: expectations before triage, experiences with triage, waiting time, information and communication, approach of healthcare professional, and quality of treatment. Data were analyzed using open, axial and selective coding.
RESULTS
Overall, the participants experienced the telephone conversation as satisfactory. This was due to the perceived professionalism with high accessibility and perceived reassurance. The approach of the professional was experienced as friendly and empathetic. Participants suggested that triage services could be improved by looking specifically at information provision. Explaining in advance how the service works can be helpful to create more awareness and to align better with expectations.
CONCLUSION
Participants reported that they could tell their own story and most participants realized that the professional asked extra questions in order to quantify the seriousness of the complaints. The level of involvement in the next steps of their care episode experienced by respondents lead us to conclude that the professional intended patient-centered care.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Improving the provision of information during waiting times and about the accessibility of the service can increase the quality of obstetric triage care. Patient involvement is necessary to increase trust and to meet the needs of the patient.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36584556
pii: S0738-3991(22)00894-1
doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2022.107610
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
107610Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflicts of interest All authors declare that they have no potential conflicts of interest for this work.