Improve Visually Impaired Patients’ Safety by Exploring their Experience with Assistive Technology

Abstract

Abstract:

Background: This qualitative dissertation of quality improvement project investigates strategies to improve patient safety for people living with visual impairment, by exploring and determine assistive technology suitable for hospital environments. Seven studies in literature review are presented in two themes: the visual impairment patient needs and technology, which explores four different assistive technologies. The multidisciplinary stakeholders and the visual impairment patients had been involved Methods: Analyse and evaluate the qualitative studies of exploring patient experiences according to CASP tool to ensure high-quality of the research. Design a driver diagram to organise driver and help to accomplish the QI project. Analyse the feasibility and viability of the QI project to determine the force of change and against change before the improvement methodology. Implement experimental Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle to learn and keep continues improvement and measures the outcome, process, and balance. The Gantt chart used to structure complex organisation timeline. The leadership and communication were following strategic style for complex organisation in flexible, teamwork, and patient involvement principles. The stakeholders had been identified and analysed regarding to level of power and impact. Patients involvement will be taken as experience-based co-design. The barriers and risk strategically identified. Interventions: Identify a gap on hospital services and system of visual impairment patients which affect their physical and psychological safety in hospital environment. explore visual impairment experience about using assistive technology. Results: The visual impairment experience with assistive technology was positive. These group of patients suffer from poor hospital system and services impacting on their safety. A clear need for development while assistive technology exists, however it is not implemented yet. Conclusions: to improve visual impairment safety is a must to prevent them from any accident in order to provide equality between patients in hospital. That leads to improve hospital quality and outcome.