The value of patient-peer support in improving hospital safety (8 February 2019)

Summary

This article in Studies in Health Technology and Informatics looks at how patient-peer support can be a valuable resource for patients in the context of hospital safety.

Hospitalised patients often lack access to safety systems and face difficulties in having a proactive role in their safety. The authors of this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 patients and caregivers at a paediatric and an adult hospital. They highlight the potential benefits of incorporating patient-peer support into patient-facing technologies and argue that helping patients access such support can help them engage with and improve the quality and safety of their hospital care.