How do hospitals engage patients and family members in quality management? A grounded theory study of hospitals in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Patient and family engagement (PFE) is considered an essential element of the transformation of the healthcare system. However, it is characterised by its complexity and a small number of institutions that have implemented the mechanisms of engagement. OBJECTIVE: To understand PFE in quality management (QM) in the hospital environment. DESIGN: A qualitative approach was guided by the grounded theory based in Straussian perspective. Data were gathered using semistructured interviews. The coding was performed by excerpts, using an inductive approach and the constant comparison technique. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of seven Brazilian hospitals were selected based on the theoretical sampling technique. RESULTS: A total of five categories emerged, namely: patient partner, mechanisms of engagement, internal structure for engagement, maturity of the QM system and openness to change. Externally, three contextual factors can impact the engagement: the local health system, the profile of the community and the change in access to the information. At the centre of the change is the balance in power relations between patients and professionals, the sharing of information from the hospital and a proactive attitude towards improving services. CONCLUSIONS: The PFE involves a cultural and process change. Cultural change is represented by ‘openness’, that is, openness to learn, to listen and to consider new perspectives. The change in processes is in turn characterised by the phrase ‘test and venture’ because the model to be adopted may be different between hospitals. The patient’s perspective allows actions to be driven towards what really matters to them, ensuring quality of service and safety, obtaining a new perspective to understand and solve problems, and stimulating a sense of urgency, more empathy and compassion in professionals.