Single-item patient enablement instrument (PEI-Q2) as a feedback tool in primary healthcare: a qualitative study among Finnish primary care physicians

Background In Finland, the gathering of patient feedback using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), such as the Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI), is recommended to assess the quality of care. However, knowledge of how this feedback could be utilized by the individual primary care practitioner (PCP) is sparse. Aim To explore PCPs’ experiences of the single-item Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI-Q2) as a feedback tool. Design & setting Qualitative study in Finnish primary healthcare. Method Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 14 PCPs in spring 2023 in Central Finland after they had received feedback with the PEI-Q2. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results PCPs regarded patient enablement as an important indicator of care quality in primary healthcare. The feedback provided through the PEI-Q2 was generally perceived as encouraging and motivating, prompting requests for its regular use. However, several PCPs found the feedback challenging to interpret. Feedback with the PEI-Q2 was seen as a promising tool for managerial benchmarking. Additionally, PCPs suggested that the utility of the PEI-Q2 feedback could be enhanced by incorporating supplementary contextual information, such as open-ended feedback. Conclusion From the PCPs’ viewpoint, the PEI-Q2 appears to be a potential tool for delivering patient feedback. While it can serve as a measure for assessing quality of care, it should be complemented with other patient-reported feedback tools to enhance its overall applicability and usefulness. In addition, educational guidance on interpreting the measure’s results is recommended.