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BMC Palliative Care
Published in: BMC Palliative Care 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Care | Research article

Optimizing of a question prompt list to improve communication about the heart failure trajectory in patients, families, and health care professionals

Authors: Lisa Hjelmfors, Martje H. L. van der Wal, Maria Friedrichsen, Anna Milberg, Jan Mårtensson, Anna Sandgren, Anna Strömberg, Tiny Jaarsma

Published in: BMC Palliative Care | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to optimize a Question Prompt List which is designed to improve communication about the heart failure trajectory among patients, family members, and health care professionals.

Methods

Data were collected in a two-round Delphi survey and a cross-sectional survey, including patients with heart failure, their family members, and health care professionals working in heart failure care in Sweden and the Netherlands. Acceptability for and demand of the Question Prompt List were assessed.

Results

A total of 96 patients, 63 family members and 26 health care professionals participated in the study. Regarding acceptability, most of the original questions were found to be relevant by the participants for inclusion in the Question Prompt List but some cultural differences exist, which resulted in two versions of the list: a Swedish version including 33 questions and a Dutch version including 38 questions. Concerning demand, participants reported that they were interested in discussing the questions in the revised Question Prompt List with a physician or a nurse. Few patients and family members reported that they were worried by the questions in the Question Prompt List and hence did not want to discuss the questions.

Conclusions

This Question Prompt List has successfully been adapted into a Swedish version and a Dutch version and includes questions about the HF trajectory which patients, their families, and health care professionals perceived to be relevant for discussion in clinical practice. Overall, patients and family members were not worried about the content in the Question Prompt List and if used in accordance with patients’ and family members’ preferences, the Question Prompt List can help to improve communication about the heart failure trajectory.
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Metadata
Title
Optimizing of a question prompt list to improve communication about the heart failure trajectory in patients, families, and health care professionals
Authors
Lisa Hjelmfors
Martje H. L. van der Wal
Maria Friedrichsen
Anna Milberg
Jan Mårtensson
Anna Sandgren
Anna Strömberg
Tiny Jaarsma
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Palliative Care / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1472-684X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-020-00665-3

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