Phenomenological Research: A qualitative approach to assessing patient experiences in the ED

ABSTRACT

Background: Emergency Departments (ED) exist as a major component of the healthcare system, serving both emergent and primary care needs of its patients and acting as a “safety net” within the US healthcare system at large.  Despite its vital role within the healthcare system, several disparities across racial/ethnic groups have been documented within Emergency Medicine care.  Recent Press Ganey data revealed that Black/African-American patients at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center report longer perceived wait times than their White counterparts, but the underlying cause for this difference remains unclear.

Aims: The purpose of this study is to use a phenomenological methodology to gain a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to the perception of longer wait times among Black/African-American patients utilizing the ED at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.  The specific aims of this project are to: (1) describe patient experiences with wait times among adult (age 18+) African-American patients recently discharged from the emergency department, and (2) use data collected from the patient interviews to identify opportunities for improving experiences with wait times among adult African-American patients being seen in the emergency departments.

Methods: Telephone interviews will be conducted with 20 patients who received care at the Emergency Department at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center campus, within 2 months of the patients’ visits. All interviews will be recorded and transcribed.  Thematic coding will be conducted using NVIVO software, and data will be analyzed to assess for code and meaning saturation.