Capturing patient experience for local quality improvement

Abstract

The value of gathering feedback from people using health services is multi-faceted, but the primary purpose is to hear, value, reflect and act upon people’s feedback to improve people’s experiences and health outcomes and healthcare interactions. Nurses use feedback, to guide patient-centred care or to inform healthcare decisions. However, when charged with improving the quality of care, there can be a lack of process clarity, clear measurement, and evidence of the intended improvement success. This article will provide an overview of the strategies available and offer guidance on how nurses can capture and make use of patient experience feedback to inform healthcare improvement.