Exploring Provider and Patient Experiences with the PREM-C9+ in COPD Primary Care
Abstract
Patient experience plays a crucial role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care, encompassing clinical, emotional, social, and relational factors. The PREM-C9, developed by Hodson et al. (2019) in the UK, is the first COPD-specific patient-reported experience measure. Our research explored the experiences of healthcare providers and patients with the adapted PREM-C9+ in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Adaptations included updating provider titles to "primary care provider" and adding a 10th item to assess overall healthcare experiences, ensuring the tool’s relevance to Canada.
Using a descriptive qualitative approach, focus groups with 14 healthcare providers and interviews with 4 patients were conducted. Reflexive thematic analysis identified challenges, including scoring, terminology, redundancy, and health and digital literacy barriers. Recommendations for improvement included simplifying language and clarifying instructions. The study emphasizes the importance of tools like the PREM-C9+ in patient-centered care and highlights the need for further research to improve their usability in diverse healthcare contexts.