Authors:
Clark K, Beatty S, Reibel T.
Authors notes:
Midwifery. 2015;31(5):505-11.
Keywords:
Maternity care, Patient perspective, Quality of care measurement, Satisfaction
Abstract
The objectives of this study was to develop, in consultation with women, a theoretically-grounded framework to guide the assessment of women's maternity-care experiences.
Design: qualitative research was undertaken with women to examine the appropriateness of Image Theory as a heuristic for understanding how women plan and evaluate their maternity-care experiences.
Setting: maternity-care services in metropolitan and regional communities in Western Australia.
Outcomes: an Episodes of Maternity Care Framework grounded in Image Theory was established that addressed various domains of women's perceptions and expectations of their maternity-care experience.
Conclusions: previously-identified weaknesses of methods used to measure patient satisfaction were addressed and a valid framework for investigating women's perception of their maternity-services experiences was developed.
This framework has the potential to contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of maternity-care service.