The role of a Medical Examiner Service in an acute NHS hospital: Perspectives from doctors and next of kin.

A new Medical Examiner system was introduced in England and Wales in 2019 to scrutinise all non-coronial deaths. The three key roles of independent Medical Examiner scrutiny are to establish accurate causes of death, determine whether coronial referral is required and identify any care concerns. This is the first published service evaluation exploring the views of doctors and next of kin with whom Medical Examiner Services interact. The aims were to understand whether the Medical Examiner Service was achieving its three main roles. Surveys were sent electronically to the qualified attending practitioners, and by post to the next of kin, of a consecutive series of deceased patients reviewed by an acute NHS hospital Medical Examiner Service in the East of England. Recruitment took place over a five month period in 2023. Results are based on 100 returned surveys from doctors (response rate 35%) and 179 completed by next of kin (response rate 65%). Findings suggest the Medical Examiner Service was successfully achieving its three key roles and well received by both doctors and next of kin. Service user feedback is clearly important as Medical Examiner Services continue to develop into the statutory phase during 2024, when they are anticipated to review approximately 400,000 deaths per annum in England and Wales. This study demonstrates such feedback is not only useful for service development, but also eminently possible.

Patient-reported experience with the use of Mepitel Film for prevention of acute radiation dermatitis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mepitel Film (MF) has been demonstrated to reduce the severity of radiation dermatitis (RD) in patients receiving breast cancer radiotherapy (RT). The objective of this study was to characterize patient-reported experience with MF use, including its impact on daily activities and wellbeing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-institution study analyzed anonymized responses to a questionnaire completed by patients who used MF for the prevention of RD during breast cancer RT. RESULTS: Of the 254 patients contacted, 192 patients completed the survey. Most patients disagreed or strongly disagreed that MF limited their ability to perform their daily activities, including household chores (88%, n = 169/191), their ability to work (83%, n = 157/189), or their ability to sleep (85%, n = 163/191). Furthermore, patients agreed or strongly agreed MF was comfortable on their skin (67%, n = 126/189) and protected their skin from rubbing against clothing (86%, n = 161/188). Some patients agreed or strongly agreed that MF affected their ability to shower (31%, n = 50/162), wear bras (28%, n = 51/185), and impacted their level of pruritus (35%, n = 67/189). However, most patients agreed or strongly agreed that their overall experience with MF was positive (92%, n = 173/189) and would recommend MF to a friend undergoing breast cancer RT (88%, n = 166/188). CONCLUSION: MF use is associated with positive patient-reported experience during breast RT with minimal impact on daily activities.

Continuous assessment of volunteers' satisfaction in clinical research through simplified questionnaires.

OBJECTIVES: In our clinical research center, a 27 multiple-choice and 3 verbatim questions satisfaction questionnaire has been used since 2008 in order to assess the satisfaction of the volunteers participating in our studies. In this work, we aimed at reducing the number of questions of this cumbersome questionnaire while exploring the same dimensions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used k-mean and hierarchical clustering to determine which questions provided the same information or, on the contrary, which questions were able to discriminate a satisfied volunteer from an unsatisfied volunteer. RESULTS: We were able to reduce our satisfaction questionnaire from 30 questions to 6 closed-ended and 2 open-ended questions, which will allow to save volunteers time while increasing their participation rate. CONCLUSION: This questionnaire could be used in other structures practicing clinical research, as part of their quality process.

Phenomenology as a political position within maternity care.

In this article, the authors use the context of childbirth to consider the power that is endemic in certain forms of evidence within maternity care research. First, there is consideration of how the current evidence hierarchy and experimental-based studies are the gold standard to determine and direct women's maternity experiences, although this can be at the detriment of care and irrespective of women's needs. This is followed by a critique of how the predominant means to assess women's experiences via satisfaction surveys is of limited utility, offering impartial and restricted insights to assess the quality of care provision. A counter position of hermeneutic phenomenology as research method is then described. This approach offers an alternative perspective by penetrating the taken-for-granted ordinariness of an event (such as childbirth) to elicit rich emic meanings. Whilst all approaches to understanding maternity care have a place, depending on the question(s) being asked, the contribution of phenomenology is how it can uncover a depth of contextual understanding into what matters to women and to inform and transform care delivery.

Satisfacción y calidad percibida de afiliados al Sistema de Protección Social en Salud de México. Fundamentos metodológicos / Satisfaction and perceived quality of people insured by the Social Health Protection in Mexico. Methodological foundations

Resumen: Objetivo: Describir el marco conceptual, metodología de implementación y análisis de la Encuesta de Satisfacción de Usuarios del Sistema de Protección Social en Salud de México. Material y métodos: Se analizan los elementos metodológicos de los estudios de 2013, 2014 y 2015, incluyendo el instrumento utilizado, el muestreo y el diseño del estudio, el modelo conceptual, las características y los indicadores del análisis. Resultados: La encuesta captura información sobre calidad percibida y satisfacción. El muestreo tiene representación nacional y estatal. Se construyen y describen indicadores simples y compuestos (índice de satisfacción y porcentaje de problemas de calidad reportados). El análisis se completa mediante diagramas de Pareto, correlación entre indicadores y asociación con la satisfacción mediante modelos multivariados. Conclusiones: La medición de satisfacción y calidad percibida es un proceso complejo pero necesario para cumplir con la normativa y para identificar estrategias de mejora. La encuesta descrita presenta diseño y análisis rigurosos enfocados en su utilidad para mejorar.

Abstract: Objective: To describe the conceptual framework and methods for implementation and analysis of the satisfaction survey of the Mexican System for Social Protection in Health. Materials and methods: We analyze the methodological elements of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 surveys, including the instrument, sampling method and study design, conceptual framework, and characteristics and indicators of the analysis. Results: The survey captures information on perceived quality and satisfaction. Sampling has national and State representation. Simple and composite indicators (index of satisfaction and rate of reported quality problems) are built and described. The analysis is completed using Pareto diagrams, correlation between indicators and association with satisfaction by means of multivariate models. Conclusions: The measurement of satisfaction and perceived quality is a complex but necessary process to comply with regulations and to identify strategies for improvement. The described survey presents a design and rigorous analysis focused on its utility for improving.

Walking Clinic in ambulatory surgery--A patient based concept: A Portuguese pioneer project.

INTRODUCTION: Walking Clinic is an innovative, efficient and easily reproducible concept adapted to ambulatory surgery. It consists of a preoperative single day work-up, with a surgeon, an anesthetist and a nurse. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction and its determinants. METHODS: A survey was applied to 171 patients (101 of the Walking Clinic group and 70 not engaged in this new concept). Patient satisfaction was assessed evaluating five major questionnaire items: secretariat (quality of the information and support given), physical space (overall comfort and cleanliness), nurses and medical staff (willingness and expertise), and patients (waiting time until pre-operative consults and exams, waiting time until being scheduled for surgery, surgery day waiting time and postoperative pain control). Furthermore, overall assessment of the received treatment, and probability of patient recommending or returning to our ambulatory unit were also analyzed. RESULTS: Walking Clinic group had overall better results in the five major questionnaire items assessed, with statistical significance, except for the physical space. It also showed better results regarding the sub-items postoperative pain control, waiting time until being scheduled for surgery and surgery day waiting time. DISCUSSION: The results confirm better patient satisfaction with this new concept. CONCLUSION: The Walking Clinic concept complements all the tenets of ambulatory surgery, in a more efficient manner.

Review of the Evolution of Medical Information in Light of Changes in the External Landscape.

Over the past 25 years, biopharmaceutical companies have faced and adapted to an external landscape that has grown increasingly complex and challenging. Medical information departments have played a fundamental role in the globalization process through their development of multichannel customer-facing resources that address the complexities with innovative solutions. The authors conducted a survey to determine key components of the globalization of medical information departments in large biopharmaceutical companies. In this article, they present survey findings and propose key components to the globalization process in medical information. Finally, they offer considerations for providing more patient-focused responses and processes for evaluating the impact of the medical information department in a global framework through the multifaceted measurement of customer satisfaction.