Feedback preferences of patients, professionals and health insurers in integrated head and neck cancer care

• Published in: Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 1275 - 1288
• Main Authors: Overveld, Lydia F. J., Takes, Robert P., Vijn, Thomas W., Braspenning, Jozé C. C., Boer, Jan P., Brouns, John J. A., Bun, Rolf J., Dijk, Boukje A. C., Dortmans, Judith A. W. F., Dronkers, Emilie A. C., Es, Robert J. J., Hoebers, Frank J. P., Kropveld, Arvid, Langendijk, Johannes A., Langeveld, Ton P. M., Oosting, Sjoukje F., Verschuur, Hendrik P., Visscher, Jan G. A. M., Weert, Stijn, Merkx, Matthias A. W., Smeele, Ludi E., Hermens, Rosella P. M. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2017; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Allied health professionals; audit and feedback; Audits; Behavior change; Cancer; Clinical outcomes; Collaboration; Email; Feedback; feedback preferences; Female; Head & neck cancer; head and neck cancer; Head and Neck Neoplasms - therapy; Health aspects; Health care; health care quality improvement; Health care reform; Health insurance industry; Health Personnel - standards; Health Services Research; Health status; Humans; Insurance Carriers - standards; integrated health care; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medical Audit - standards; Medical care; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Original Research Paper; Original Research Papers; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Patient Preference; Patients; Physicians; Practice Patterns, Physicians' - standards; Professional practice; Professionals; Quality; Quality control; Quality improvement; quality indicators; Quality Indicators, Health Care; Quality management; Quality of care; Reflection; Research methodology; Selfreflection; Specialists; Stakeholders; Transparency; Netherlands; integrated health care; audit and feedback; feedback preferences; head and neck cancer; health care quality improvement; quality indicators
• ISSN: 1369-6513; 1369-7625
• DOI: 10.1111/hex.12567

Background Audit and feedback on professional practice and health care outcomes are the most often used interventions to change behaviour of professionals and improve quality of health care. However, limited information is available regarding preferred feedback for patients, professionals and health insurers. Objective Investigate the (differences in) preferences of receiving feedback between stakeholders, using the Dutch Head and Neck Audit as an example. Methods A total of 37 patients, medical specialists, allied health professionals and health insurers were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews. Questions focussed on: “Why,” “On what aspects” and “How” do you prefer to receive feedback on professional practice and health care outcomes? Results All stakeholders mentioned that feedback can improve health care by creating awareness, enabling self‐reflection and reflection on peers or colleagues, and by benchmarking to others. Patients prefer feedback on the actual professional practice that matches the health care received, whereas medical specialists and health insurers are interested mainly in health care outcomes. All stakeholders largely prefer a bar graph. Patients prefer a pie chart for patient‐reported outcomes and experiences, while Kaplan‐Meier survival curves are preferred by medical specialists. Feedback should be simple with firstly an overview, and 1‐4 times a year sent by e‐mail. Finally, patients and health professionals are cautious with regard to transparency of audit data. Conclusions This exploratory study shows how feedback preferences differ between stakeholders. Therefore, tailored reports are recommended. Using this information, effects of audit and feedback can be improved by adapting the feedback format and contents to the preferences of stakeholders.