Identifying Improvements in an Emergency Department Elder Friendly Area Based on Patient Experience (EDEFA_TheirVoice Project)

Method: This is a qualitative and quantitative evaluation project. The project will use a creative problem-solving methodology (Design Thinking) to analyze the care process based on the experience of Elder Friendly Area (EFA) users and their families. Design Thinking is a creativity and innovation methodology that compiles tools based on design principles for problem solving. It is characterized by having the ability to mix convergent and divergent thinking, reconciling rational and intuitive thinking. This methodology consists of 4 phases: Mapping, Exploring, Building and Testing. In each of them, the tools and techniques help us to observe, get involved and immerse ourselves in the patient's ecosystem, with the aim of designing a solution WITH the user and not just FOR him. Consequently, the error is reduced and the modifications and improvements of our projects are speeded up.

Patients: Patients/caregivers attended in the Emergency Department's EFA will participate . In the first fieldwork, 50-60 patients will participate, conducting a self-completed interview (prior informed consent, 10 minutes long).

In the qualitative research phase, 5-10 patients/caregivers conduct a 30-minute interview with the Design Thinking professional. The co-creation workshop lasts a couple of hours and 5 to 10 patients/caregivers will participate. In the second fieldwork another 50-60 patients will participate. In total, between 110 and 140 patients will be enrolled.

Ethics: Patients/caregivers will be provided with a patient information sheet and informed consent prior to participation. Patient experience data will be collected by Design Thinking professional on an anonymous basis and will always be handled on an aggregate basis.

Funding: The project will be developed in collaboration with Merck Sharp & Dohme Spain, with which there is an agreement signed (Fundació de Gestió HSCSP - MSD). For the correct development of it, MSD has hired a company expert in the development of this type of dynamics (Thinkers&Co) which will participate actively in all meetings and workshops and will be responsible for collecting the opinion of the patient anonymously and manage this information in an aggregate way, always with the intention of identifying the points of improvement on which later health professionals will work with the methodology described. However, no monetary payment will be made to the hospital, to the emergency department or to the professionals involved. The collaboration of MSD and Thinkers&Co will not affect the independent nature of the project.