Enhancing Surgical Care in BC - British Columbia Medical Association

Appendix
Treat the Whole Me
Patient Perspectives on the Perioperative Experience:
A Focus Group Summary Report prepared by Patient Voices Network, ImpactBC
Introduction
At the request of the BC Medical Association, the Patient Voices Network (PVN) conducted a focus group on Saturday
February 26, 2011, to gather patient input about surgical access and efficiency. Eight patient partners, residing in regions
served by four provincial health authorities (Fraser Health Authority, Interior Health Authority, Northern Health Authority,
and Vancouver Island Health) were identified by PVN to participate in the day-long focus group.
The participants ranged in age, gender, cultural background, and personal surgical experience. The group included males
and females between the ages of 50 and 75 years, two of whom were from Aboriginal communities in BC. The range of
surgical experiences included both elective and emergency surgeries, specifically knee replacement surgeries, open heart
surgery, cataract surgery, gynecological surgery, hernia repair, and lower leg amputation. Many of the participants also
contributed to the discussion from their perspective as a caregiver or family member providing pre- and postoperative
support to a loved one.
Focus group participants identified six quality-related areas that could improve their perioperative experiences:
1. Communication and information-sharing
2. Better planning
3. Patient influence/control vs. vulnerability
4. Anxiety/fears vs. safety/security
5. Responsibility (most responsible clinician)
6. Patient feedback
This summary report was shared with the participants, and their comments and recommendations were verified. However,
patient names have been changed to protect the identity of the participants.
Key Findings
1. Improve quality of communication and information-sharing at all stages of the perioperative
process to ensure continuity of care
Participants shared a number of negative experiences during the discussion, and many of them pointed to a lack of
information sharing and breakdowns in communication processes among medical staff, and also between the patients or
family members and medical staff.
Enhancing Surgical Care in BC – Appendix 38