Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards

Background This study explores Australian consumers’ perceptions, comprehension, and intended use of Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) from Hospital Report Cards in future hospital decision-making, with a focus on health literacy.Methods. Data Sources From May to July 2023, a diverse samp...

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Main Authors: Madeline Schultz, Krista Verlis, Brooke Nickel, Kirsten McCaffery, Tessa Copp, Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Health Literacy and Communication Open
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/28355245.2024.2425162
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author Madeline Schultz
Krista Verlis
Brooke Nickel
Kirsten McCaffery
Tessa Copp
Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell
author_facet Madeline Schultz
Krista Verlis
Brooke Nickel
Kirsten McCaffery
Tessa Copp
Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell
author_sort Madeline Schultz
collection DOAJ
description Background This study explores Australian consumers’ perceptions, comprehension, and intended use of Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) from Hospital Report Cards in future hospital decision-making, with a focus on health literacy.Methods. Data Sources From May to July 2023, a diverse sample of Australian consumers who had a recent hospital admission were interviewed.Study Design A qualitative study investigating consumers’ perceptions, comprehension, and intention to use PREMs. A single interview was conducted with each of the 15 participants, utilising two distinct qualitative techniques. In phase I, semi-structured interviews explored perceptions of PREMs. In Phase II, cognitive interviews assessed comprehension of PREMs using three online Hospital Report Cards: Medibank, Cal Hospital Compare, and a purpose designed report card incorporating various display formats. Participants were selected based on age, gender, and education through a professional recruitment agency. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.Results The study found limited awareness and low importance attributed to PREMs, with none of the participants previously accessing such data for hospital decision-making. Comprehension was influenced by the design of the report cards, with simplified metrics aiding those with lower health literacy but confusing those with higher health literacy. Numerical and tailored PREMs designs were preferred. Distrust of PREMs, reliance on informal sources such as family and friends, and percieved lack of hospital choice appeared to diminish PREMs importance. Participants intention to use PREMs in future hospital choices was influenced by rural constraints, age, percieved cognitive challenges during illness, and reliance on informal healthcare information.Discussion Despite global investments in public reporting initiatives, this study highlights low consumer awareness, limited importance attributed to PREMs, and poor comprehension. Consumers displayed modest intention to utilise report cards in future hospital choices. Addressing these barriers requires improved communication formats and policy changes, alongside flexible report card designs to accommodate varying levels of health literacy.
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spelling doaj-art-c5489063c3f84d538ff2c26915d40cbc2024-12-17T12:39:50ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHealth Literacy and Communication Open2835-52452024-12-012110.1080/28355245.2024.2425162Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cardsMadeline Schultz0Krista Verlis1Brooke Nickel2Kirsten McCaffery3Tessa Copp4Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell5School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab (SHeLL), Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab (SHeLL), Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab (SHeLL), Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab (SHeLL), Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaBackground This study explores Australian consumers’ perceptions, comprehension, and intended use of Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) from Hospital Report Cards in future hospital decision-making, with a focus on health literacy.Methods. Data Sources From May to July 2023, a diverse sample of Australian consumers who had a recent hospital admission were interviewed.Study Design A qualitative study investigating consumers’ perceptions, comprehension, and intention to use PREMs. A single interview was conducted with each of the 15 participants, utilising two distinct qualitative techniques. In phase I, semi-structured interviews explored perceptions of PREMs. In Phase II, cognitive interviews assessed comprehension of PREMs using three online Hospital Report Cards: Medibank, Cal Hospital Compare, and a purpose designed report card incorporating various display formats. Participants were selected based on age, gender, and education through a professional recruitment agency. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.Results The study found limited awareness and low importance attributed to PREMs, with none of the participants previously accessing such data for hospital decision-making. Comprehension was influenced by the design of the report cards, with simplified metrics aiding those with lower health literacy but confusing those with higher health literacy. Numerical and tailored PREMs designs were preferred. Distrust of PREMs, reliance on informal sources such as family and friends, and percieved lack of hospital choice appeared to diminish PREMs importance. Participants intention to use PREMs in future hospital choices was influenced by rural constraints, age, percieved cognitive challenges during illness, and reliance on informal healthcare information.Discussion Despite global investments in public reporting initiatives, this study highlights low consumer awareness, limited importance attributed to PREMs, and poor comprehension. Consumers displayed modest intention to utilise report cards in future hospital choices. Addressing these barriers requires improved communication formats and policy changes, alongside flexible report card designs to accommodate varying levels of health literacy.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/28355245.2024.2425162Patient-reported experience measurespatient experiencehospital report cardsdecision makingqualitativehealth literacy
spellingShingle Madeline Schultz
Krista Verlis
Brooke Nickel
Kirsten McCaffery
Tessa Copp
Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell
Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
Health Literacy and Communication Open
Patient-reported experience measures
patient experience
hospital report cards
decision making
qualitative
health literacy
title Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
title_full Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
title_fullStr Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
title_full_unstemmed Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
title_short Do Australian health consumers understand and intend to use Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) when selecting a hospital?: A qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
title_sort do australian health consumers understand and intend to use patient reported experience measures prems when selecting a hospital a qualitative exploration of online hospital report cards
topic Patient-reported experience measures
patient experience
hospital report cards
decision making
qualitative
health literacy
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/28355245.2024.2425162
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