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What information do patients want about their medicines? An exploration of the perspectives of general medicine inpatients.

ABSTRACT: Background: Medicines are one of the most common healthcare interventions, yet evidence shows patients often do not receive the information they want about their medicines. This affects their adherence and healthcare engagement. There is limited research exploring what information patients want about their medicines, from whom and in what format. The aim of this study was to determine the medicines information needs of patients admitted to the general medical service of a large New Zealand (NZ) hospital, and identify the barriers and enablers to meeting these needs.

Methods: A descriptive exploratory approach using semi-structured interviews was used to understand the needs and preferences of patients for information about their regular medicines and the barriers and facilitators to obtaining this information. Patients admitted to a general medical ward at a large NZ hospital, aged 18?years and over, prescribed one or more regular medicines, and self-managing their own medicines prior to hospitalisation were included. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant (n?=?30) and transcribed, then analysed using a general inductive thematic analysis approach.

Results: Five overarching themes captured the medicines information needs of patients: (1) autonomy; (2) fostering relationships; (3) access; (4) communication; and (5) minimal information needs. Patients desired information to facilitate their decision-making and self-management of their health. Support people, written information, and having good relationships with health providers enabled this. Having access to information at the right time, communicated in a clear and consistent way with opportunities for follow-up, was important. A significant portion of participants were satisfied with receiving minimal information and had no expectations of needing more medicines information.

Conclusions: Although patients' medicines information needs varied between individuals, the importance of receiving information in an accessible, timely manner, and having good relationships with health providers, were common to most. Considering these needs is important to optimise information delivery in general medical patients.

SUBMITTER: Chan AHY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7722322 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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What information do patients want about their medicines? An exploration of the perspectives of general medicine inpatients.

Chan Amy Hai Yan AHY Aspden Trudi T Brackley Kim K Ashmore-Price Hannah H Honey Michelle M

BMC health services research 20201208 1

<h4>Background</h4>Medicines are one of the most common healthcare interventions, yet evidence shows patients often do not receive the information they want about their medicines. This affects their adherence and healthcare engagement. There is limited research exploring what information patients want about their medicines, from whom and in what format. The aim of this study was to determine the medicines information needs of patients admitted to the general medical service of a large New Zealan ...[more]

PMID: 33292194

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Project description:BackgroundHealth information technology (IT) interventions to decrease readmissions for cirrhosis may be limited by patient-associated factors.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine perspectives regarding adoption versus refusal of health IT interventions among patient-caregiver dyads.MethodsInpatients with cirrhosis and their caregivers were approached to participate in a randomized health IT intervention trial requiring daily contact with research teams via the Patient Buddy app. This app focuses on ascites, medications, and hepatic encephalopathy over 30 days. Regression analyses for characteristics associated with acceptance were performed. For those who declined, a semistructured interview was performed with themes focused on caregivers, protocol, transport/logistics, technology demands, and privacy.ResultsA total of 349 patient-caregiver dyads were approached (191 from Virginia Commonwealth University, 56 from Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and 102 from Mayo Clinic), 87 of which (25%) agreed to participate. On regression, dyads agreeing included a male patient (odds ratio [OR] 2.08, P=.01), gastrointestinal bleeding (OR 2.3, P=.006), or hepatic encephalopathy admission (OR 2.0, P=.01), whereas opioid use (OR 0.46, P=.03) and alcohol-related etiology (OR 0.54, P=.02) were associated with refusal. Race, study site, and other admission reasons did not contribute to refusing participation. Among the 262 dyads who declined randomization, caregiver reluctance (43%), perceived burden (31%), technology-related issues (14%), transportation/logistics (10%), and others (4%), but not privacy, were highlighted as major concerns.ConclusionsPatients with cirrhosis admitted with hepatic encephalopathy and gastrointestinal bleeding without opioid use or alcohol-related etiologies were more likely to participate in a health IT intervention focused on preventing readmissions. Caregiver and study burden but not privacy were major reasons to decline participation. Reducing perceived patient-caregiver burden and improving communication may improve participation.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03564626; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03564626.

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Project description:BackgroundGood patient information has shown to improve surgical outcomes. In this study we explore what kind of pre-surgical information patients need and if the provision of a 360˚ video of a surgical procedure can be of added value to the information provided by the hospital.MethodsAn explorative qualitative study using semi-structured interviews on information needs was conducted among 17 inguinal hernia patients to gain more insight in the patients' present surgical information needs. Patients either were planned to receive or already had received a surgical procedure. Questions were asked about the current information provision and, after being shown a 360˚ video of the surgery, whether this would be of added value.ResultsOf the total group of 17 patients (mean age 56, interquartile range 45-64) 16 were male and one was female. Most had no previous experience with virtual reality (14/17), already had undergone a surgical procedure (11/17). Patient information needs were all about "seeing" which can be viewed from three different perspectives [1] being seen as a unique person in the treatment process, [2] being seen as a partner, and [3] seeing is understanding. Patients wanted the contact with the doctor to be more personal, with the possibility to see the anesthetist in person, the surgeon to see their wound in the recovery phase, and to receive personal answers to questions about their specific situation. Patients found the 360-video not fearsome, and believed that visual content could be beneficial as it appeals more to their imagination than written or oral information and increases their understanding. It also provided them with a better understanding of their treatment options, their pre-, peri-, and post-surgical procedures and identification of the cause of post-operative side effects.ConclusionTo address patients' information needs, complementary tools or services are needed that increase personal contact as well as tailor it to individual patient's needs. Even though video-apps are a partial alternative, hospitals should still offer patients the possibility of having face-to-face meetings with physicians as this is highly valued by patients and leads to increased trust in physicians' performance.

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What information do patients want about their medicines? An exploration of the perspectives of general medicine inpatients.

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What information do patients want about their medicines? An exploration of the perspectives of general medicine inpatients.

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