Four inter-linked research studies into a pilot project in London offering patients choice on where to have their operations have been published, showing that choice is broadly welcomed by patients, who are often sophisticated in their decision-making.
Research reveals patient choice success
The London Patient Choice Project was established in June 2002 and ran until March 2004. Patients were first offered choice in October 2002. During the whole period a total of 22,500 patients had been offered choice for 35 operations or procedures in five specialties – ophthalmology, orthopaedics, ENT, urology and general surgery – and 15,000 had accepted treatment at another hospital rather than their local one.
No fewer than 97% of patients who opted to go to an alternative hospital said they would recommend the scheme to others. Patients treated at alternative hospitals were significantly more satisfied with their hospital experience than those treated at their home hospital. And patients who were treated in specially designed “treatment centres” or in private hospitals were more positive than those whose surgery took place in a conventional NHS theatre.
Among the factors influencing the choice that patients made were that the hospital referred to had a high success rate for this operation, that it had a high standard of cleanliness and that there was good communication between the hospital and the patient’s GP. Other factors were the reputation of the surgeon and the hospital, the option of follow-up care closer to home, shorter waiting times and transport and travel issues.
