Patient Engagement: an Assessment of Canadian Radiotherapy Programs' Current Practices, Perceived Barriers, and Facilitators

A scoping review of patients as partners in undergraduate allied health curriculum: How are they involved?

INTRODUCTION

Patient participation in undergraduate education has been proven to contribute to student skills development complementing their didactic training. An increasing number of educational programs have implemented systematic patient engagement in curriculum to comply with the requirements of professional and regulatory bodies and to ensure greater focus on patient care. This scoping review aims to identify and summarize literature on the integration of patients and associated benefits in undergraduate allied health education programs.

METHODS

This scoping review was conducted using a comprehensive literature search of the electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. The study was carried out and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) guidance for Systematic reviews and Meta Analyses. Inclusion criteria included English language and allied health education. Exclusion criteria were outside the date range of 2011 to 2023, non-allied health programs, and clinical exposure during didactic courses. Literature reviews and commentaries were also excluded.

RESULTS

A total of nineteen studies were included in the scoping review. The majority of these papers examined undergraduate programs that engaged patients in curriculum delivery while a few involved patients in feedback delivery and formal assessment. Other forms of patient involvement were through curriculum co-design. Across institutions, evidence suggested the benefits of patient involvement to students, patients, and educational programs for improved delivery of person-centred care.

CONCLUSION

Patient involvement in curriculum delivery and student assessment provided valuable teaching and learning experiences for students and patients. Patient engagement also ensured that person-centered care principles were integrated into education programs. Summary of findings are provided to better prepare patients and facilitators for their role and to enhance the benefits to all participants.

Patient Education Practices and Preferences of Radiation Oncologists and Interprofessional Radiation Therapy Care Teams: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Strategies for Effective Patient Education Delivery

PURPOSE

Patients' understanding of radiation therapy (RT) and data regarding optimal approaches to patient education (PE) within radiation oncology (RO) are limited. We aimed to evaluate PE practices of radiation oncologists and interprofessional RT care team members to inform recommendations for delivering inclusive and accessible PE.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

An anonymous survey was administered to all Radiation Oncology Education Collaborative Study Group members (10/5/22-11/23/22). Respondent demographics, individual practices/preferences, and institutional practices were collected. Qualitative items explored strategies, challenges, and desired resources for PE. Descriptive statistics summarized survey responses. The Fisher exact test compared PE practices by respondent role and PE timing. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative responses.

RESULTS

One hundred thirteen Radiation Oncology Education Collaborative Study Group members completed the survey (28.2% response rate); RO attendings comprised 68.1% of respondents. Most practiced in an academic setting (85.8%) in North America (80.5%). Institution-specific materials were the most common PE resource used by radiation oncologists (67.6%). Almost half (40.2%) reported that their PE practices differed based on clinical encounter type, with paper handouts commonly used for in-person and multimedia for telehealth visits. Only 57.7% reported access to non-English PE materials. PE practices among radiation oncologists differed according to RT clinical workflow timing (consultation versus simulation versus first RT, respectively): one-on-one teaching: 88.5% versus 49.4% versus 56.3%, P < .01, and paper handouts: 69.0% versus 28.7% versus 16.1%, P < .01. Identified challenges for PE delivery included limited time, administrative barriers to the development or implementation of new materials or practices, and a lack of customized resources for tailored PE. Effective strategies for PE included utilization of visual diagrams, multimedia, and innovative education techniques to personalize PE delivery/resources for a diverse patient population, as well as fostering interprofessional collaboration to reinforce educational content.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiation oncologists and interprofessional RO team members engage in PE, with most using institution-specific materials often available only in English. PE practices differ according to clinical encounter type and RT workflow timing. Increased adoption of multimedia materials and partnerships with patients to tailor PE resources are needed to foster high-quality, patient-centered PE delivery.