Method: A total of 76 patient-centeredness measures from the NHQR-DR database were analyzed and organized into 3 categories: patient’s experience with ambulatory care, with hospitals, and patient’s assistance in treatment decisions. The data were stratified by race/ethnicity, age, education, income, and geographic location. Significant differences have a p-value <0.05 (two-tailed test), and a minimum relative difference of >10% between the comparison and reference groups.
Result:
Patient’s experience of care with:
Health providers, 2002-2009
- In 7 of 8 years, more Hispanics than Whites reported that health providers did not spend enough time with them.
- In all years, more adults from poor, low and middle income families than from high income families, reported that health providers did not explain things clearly.
In hospitals
- From 2009-2011, Black, AI/AN, and multiple-race patients of all ages and educational levels were more likely than Whites to report poor communication with doctors.
- In 2011, more Blacks of all ages and Asians ages 18-44 and 65 and older than Whites reported poor communication about discharge information. More Blacks of all educational levels and Asians with at least a high school diploma than Whites reported poor communication about discharge information. Also, more AI/ANs age 45 and over and those with at least some college education reported poor communication about discharge information than Whites.
Assistance with treatment decisions, 2002-2009
- In 7 of 8 years, more Hispanics than Non-Hispanic Whites reported that their usual source of care did not ask for their help to make treatment decisions.
- In 6 of 8 years, more Hispanics residing in metropolitan areas than Non-Hispanic Whites residing in metropolitan areas, reported that their usual source of care did not ask for their help to make treatment decisions
Conclusion:
Black, Asian, AI/AN, multiple-race, Hispanic patients, those of lower socioeconomic status and those living in metropolitan areas, were less likely to report experience of care that promotes active involvement in health care decisions. Targeted policies and research can help identify strategies to improve patient centeredness, optimizing patients’ experiences with health providers and encouraging patient involvement in medical decision-making.
See more of: The 35th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making