The survey visit as a key evaluative event in accreditation-a qualitative study of survey visit experiences among surveyors and general practice professionals
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The survey visit as a key evaluative event in accreditation-a qualitative study of survey visit experiences among surveyors and general practice professionals. / Due, Tina Drud; Thorsen, Thorkil; Kousgaard, Marius Brostrom.
I: BMC Family Practice, Bind 22, Nr. 1, 163, 2021.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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T1 - The survey visit as a key evaluative event in accreditation-a qualitative study of survey visit experiences among surveyors and general practice professionals
AU - Due, Tina Drud
AU - Thorsen, Thorkil
AU - Kousgaard, Marius Brostrom
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - BackgroundAccreditation is a widely employed quality assurance concept in health care and the survey visit is the central method for assessing participating organisations' compliance with accreditation standards. Despite this, research on the survey visit as a method for assessing compliance is scarce. In Denmark a mandatory accreditation programme was introduced for general practice clinics in 2016. We performed a qualitative, explorative study of the reflections and actions of surveyors and general practice professionals (GPs and staff) concerning the production of information about compliance with the accreditation standards in relation to the survey visit.MethodsWe conducted qualitative interviews with GPs and staff from general practices in two Danish regions before and after their survey visit. We also interviewed the surveyors. We observed survey visits to qualify the interviews and analysis. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an integrative approach.ResultsThe surveyors combined documents, questioning of the professionals, and visual impressions of the clinic to assess compliance. They sought to de-dramatise the survey visit and to generate a natural conversation with attention to workflows. Trust in the professionals' statements was fundamental to the surveyors' approach, and they were confident in their ability to assess compliance. Their level of scrutiny was influenced by their observations and the quality of documents. The general practice professionals had generally sought to comply with the standards and to give an authentic portrait of the clinic. The few cases of misrepresention concerned standards that the professionals found too excessive.ConclusionThe validity of the survey visit as a method to assess compliance was highly dependent on the professionals' willingness to convey a realistic picture of their practice. Since they were generally willing to do so, the trust-based approach seemed suitable for identifying cases of non-compliance caused by insufficient understanding of the standards. However, it can be difficult for the surveyors to detect when the professionals engage in misrepresentation due to disagreements with the standards. Thus, when adopting a trust-based approach to the survey visit, it seems particularly important to ensure that the professionals view the standards as meaningful and manageable.
AB - BackgroundAccreditation is a widely employed quality assurance concept in health care and the survey visit is the central method for assessing participating organisations' compliance with accreditation standards. Despite this, research on the survey visit as a method for assessing compliance is scarce. In Denmark a mandatory accreditation programme was introduced for general practice clinics in 2016. We performed a qualitative, explorative study of the reflections and actions of surveyors and general practice professionals (GPs and staff) concerning the production of information about compliance with the accreditation standards in relation to the survey visit.MethodsWe conducted qualitative interviews with GPs and staff from general practices in two Danish regions before and after their survey visit. We also interviewed the surveyors. We observed survey visits to qualify the interviews and analysis. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an integrative approach.ResultsThe surveyors combined documents, questioning of the professionals, and visual impressions of the clinic to assess compliance. They sought to de-dramatise the survey visit and to generate a natural conversation with attention to workflows. Trust in the professionals' statements was fundamental to the surveyors' approach, and they were confident in their ability to assess compliance. Their level of scrutiny was influenced by their observations and the quality of documents. The general practice professionals had generally sought to comply with the standards and to give an authentic portrait of the clinic. The few cases of misrepresention concerned standards that the professionals found too excessive.ConclusionThe validity of the survey visit as a method to assess compliance was highly dependent on the professionals' willingness to convey a realistic picture of their practice. Since they were generally willing to do so, the trust-based approach seemed suitable for identifying cases of non-compliance caused by insufficient understanding of the standards. However, it can be difficult for the surveyors to detect when the professionals engage in misrepresentation due to disagreements with the standards. Thus, when adopting a trust-based approach to the survey visit, it seems particularly important to ensure that the professionals view the standards as meaningful and manageable.
KW - Accreditation
KW - Survey visit
KW - Compliance
KW - Assessment
KW - Standards
KW - Primary care
KW - General practice
KW - HEALTH-SERVICES RESEARCH
KW - CARE
KW - RELIABILITY
KW - PERFORMANCE
KW - LESSONS
KW - REFORM
U2 - 10.1186/s12875-021-01497-7
DO - 10.1186/s12875-021-01497-7
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34330217
VL - 22
JO - B M C Family Practice
JF - B M C Family Practice
SN - 1471-2296
IS - 1
M1 - 163
ER -
ID: 275936332