The Mental Health programs at BC Children’s Hospital are committed to understanding and improving the patient and family experience. We developed in-house surveys to capture the nuances of the patient/family’s care experience in our inpatient and outpatient settings. To ensure we measured important dimensions of the care experience, we co-designed the surveys with families and then further engaged with them in the interpretation of the survey responses.
To co-design the questionnaires, we held two working sessions with a group of families and staff. The purpose of the first session was to generate ideas on content of the survey, and the second session focused on refining the wording. As a final step, the questionnaire was pilot tested with additional parents. The input from families is evident in the survey. Questions were revised significantly from the original draft, and new questions were added to address factors that families said were important to their experience. Families suggested that the surveys focus on access to the programs, continuity of care, and follow-up plans. Staff members were also part of the design process. They agreed with the families on the important content areas. Staff also provided helpful insight into language that is commonly used in the programs, so the terminology in the questionnaire would be familiar to families when asking about their experience.
Results of the ongoing surveys are routinely discussed at our Quality Improvement Committee (QIC). This Committee works in partnership with family representatives to improve the patient and family experience. Survey results are being used to plan and evaluate improvement initiatives.
Share your Feedback