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Journal of Wound Care is published by MA Healthcare Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB Tel: +44 (0)20 7738 5454 Email: jwc@markallengroup.com Websites: www.journalofwoundcare.com
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ISSN 0969-0700 Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Blackwood, NP12 2YA
Patient involvement: a necessity not a dream
When one explores the statistics pertaining to where healthcare is provided, it is interesting to note that, annually, just 6% of the US population spends an overnight in hospital.1 This means that most of the care provided to
patients is within the ambulatory care, primary care, residential care and community care settings. Reflecting on this, raises questions about how we approach our care delivery, given that patients will spend significant periods of time caring for themselves. Interestingly, the World Health Organization (WHO) has always advocated for greater patient involvement in their own healthcare decision-making, arguing that this involvement is a fundamental component in the delivery of safe, people-centred services.2 The reasons cited are that engaged patients are better able to make informed decisions about their care options, thereby enhancing clinical and economic outcomes.2 Importantly, shortages in healthcare staff, including physicians, nurses and midwives, are estimated to reach 9.9 million globally by 2030; patient involvement, therefore, is critical for the sustainability of health systems worldwide.3
Professor Zena Moore Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland; Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Adjunct Professor, Department of Nursing, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, KSA
In 2016, Calne challenged us to rethink the concept of patient involvement, outlining that it would mean changing the clinical paradigm from ‘what’s the matter?’ to ‘what matters to you’.4 The work of Gillespie et al.,5 in their survey of healthcare practitioners, really drives home how clinicians value the involvement of patients, where the number one and two priorities for the surgical wound care agenda were patients’ understanding/knowledge of their wound treatment and patient involvement in wound care, respectively.
So, knowing this as we do, what next? An international survey of patients and informal carers in March 2021 identified perceptions towards engagement in wound-related care.6 Results indicated four key considerations: knowledge, understanding and ability; patient willingness to engage in wound-related care; the patient support system; and the patient–practitioner relationship. From here, a tool was developed to identify patient and informal carers who may benefit from being involved in shared wound care.6
For all of us who access healthcare services, we need the reassurance that our voices will truly be heard. Not only that, but we also need to know that we are a part of all decision-making, in a way that is reflective of our place on the continuum of care, and our willingness and ability to be involved. The tools are there for us to use, and it is the right thing to do, so let’s go do it. JWC
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospital utilization (in non-Federal short-stay hospitals). 2021.https:// tinyurl.com/yeynt44f (accessed 10 March 2022) 2 World Health Organization. Patient engagement. Technical series on safer primary care. 2016. https://tinyurl. com/2m2aajjw (accessed 10 March 2022) 3 World Health Organization. Health workforce data and statistics. 2022. https://tinyurl.com/2p98enwj (accessed 10 March 2022) 4 Calne S. A new year, a new document: patient involvement now a priority. Wounds International 2016; 7(1):4 5 Gillespie BM, Walker R, Lin F et al. Setting the surgical wound care agenda across two healthcare districts: a priority setting approach. Collegian 2020; 27(5):529–534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.02.011 6 Moore Z, Kapp S, Loney A et al. A tool to promote patient and informal carer involvement for shared wound care. Wounds International 2021; 12(3):86–92
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