Perceptive Dialogue for Linking Stakeholders and Units During Care Transitions – A Qualitative Study of People with Stroke, Significant Others and Healthcare Professionals in Sweden

INTRODUCTION: Care transitions are a complex set of actions that risk poor quality outcomes for patients and their significant others. This study explored the transition process between hospital and continued rehabilitation in the home. The process is explored from the perspectives of people with stroke, significant others and healthcare professionals in Stockholm, Sweden. METHOD: Focus group interviews (n = 10), semi-structured individual interviews (n = 23) and interviews in dyad (n = 4) were conducted with healthcare professionals, people with stroke and significant others, altogether 71 participants. Data was collected and analyzed using Grounded Theory. RESULTS: One core category “Perceptive dialogue for a coordinated transition”, and two categories “Synthesis of parallel processes for common understanding” and “The forced transformation from passive attendant to uninformed agent” emerged from the analysis. The transition consisted of several parallel processes which made it difficult for the stakeholders to get a common understanding of the transition as a whole. Enabling a perceptive dialogue was as a prerequisite for the creation of a common understanding of the care transition. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates that a perceptive dialogue with patients/significant others as well as within and across organizations is part of a coordinated and person-centred transition. There is an extensive need for increased involvement of patients and significant others regarding dialogue about health conditions, procedures at the hospital and preparation for self-management after discharge.