Patient involvement in health care decision making; an experience

Abstract

Introduction: change towards patients/citizens who have more information, are educated and active regarding their health process is an important part of the evolution that all health systems need to integrate in all aspects of their activities, management and design. In Europe, the White Paper reiterates the importance of participation in any individual or collective health process whether in local or regional contexts. In our country, the Basic Law on Patient Autonomy Regulation and Rights and Obligations Regarding Clinical information and Documentation recognizes the patients ‘capacity to choose and influence the organisations that represent them. The active participation of patients represents a new way of understanding therapeutic relationships, one that is respectful of patients ‘rights and potentially beneficial for the therapeutic process. Our project aims to test and implement a strategy that is currently used in the Dutch health service and that allows for patient involvement in making decisions that affect their healthcare. Short description: the objective is to design and later distribute among patients a leaflet that helps them navigate the health system and gather key information regarding their process by asking three questions that can be formulated to health professionals in appointments that any given patient can attend. These questions are: “What are my options?, What are the advantages and disadvantages of these options?, What does this mean in my situation?”. The aim is for the patient to be able to formulate these questions regarding their health processswhen in conversation with a professional; these questions allow for open conversations, debate about treatment options and for patients to make informed health decisions that have been agreed with professionals. These steps will be followed: translate the original Dutch leaflet into the official languages of the ACBC (Autonomous Community of the Basque Country) and then design it. Prior to its distribution, it will be checked with citizens and professionals that the final leaflet can be understood and that is helpful. In order to asses this project we will be measuring the usefulness of the leaflet and degree of satisfaction of patients and professionals that have used it. Targeted population and stakeholders: citizens, patients and relatives alike, who are customers of our health system and are in touch with any services within it. We believe that society as a whole will be our stakeholder since this is a topic that will hopefully improve health provision. Timeline: this is a project aimed to be started in October of 2018 and that will run through the first semester of 2019 Transferability: the strategies will first be tested on a couple of units/health centers and the aim is to reach the whole OSI (Integrated Service Organisation) once the pilot study is finished and its usefulness is confirmed

Keywords

• patient involvement
• leaflet
• decission making