Healthcare experience among patients with type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional survey using the IEXPAC tool

Abstract

Aim: To assess the experience with health care among patients with type 2 diabetes

(T2DM) and to evaluate patients’ demographic variables and healthcare-related char- acteristics which may affect their experience.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was delivered to T2DM adults. Patient experi- ences were assessed with the ‘Instrument for Evaluation of the Experience of Chronic

Patients’ (IEXPAC) questionnaire, a validated 12-item survey, which describes patient experience within the last 6 months (items 1–11) and hospitalization in the last 3 years (item 12), with possible scores ranging from 0 (worst) to 10 (best experience). Results: A total of 451 T2DM patients responded to the survey (response rate 72.3%; mean age 69.5 ± 10.1 years, 67.8% men). The mean overall IEXPAC score was 5.92 ± 1.80. Mean scores were higher for productive interactions (7.92 ± 2.15) and self-management (7.08 ± 2.27) than for new relational model (1.72 ± 2.01). Only 32.8% of patients who had been hospitalized in the past 3 years reported having received a follow-up call or visit after discharge. Multivariate analyses identified that regular follow-up by the same physician and follow-up by a nurse were associated with a better patient experience. Continuity of healthcare score was higher only in those patients requiring help from others.

Conclusions: The areas of T2DM care which may need to be addressed to ensure bet- ter patient experience are use of the Internet, new technologies and social resources

for patient information and interaction with healthcare professionals, closer follow- up after hospitalization, and a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach with regular

follow-up by the same physician and a nurse.