Perspectives of patients commencing an Autograft in ACU
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study into the perspectives of patients commencing an Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant in an Ambulatory Care setting (ACU)
IRAS ID
169905
Contact name
Lisa-Marie Mcmonagle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College, London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The study aims to obtain personal accounts from patients undergoing a bone marrow transplant in an outpatient, ambulatory care setting. Traditionally patients undergoing this type of treatment would be admitted to an inpatient specialist ward before they commenced their chemotherapy. Increasingly, hospitals across the UK are setting up services that offer treatments in a different environment, where patients receive their chemotherapy and stem cell return as an outpatient and are only admitted once they or their medical team deem it necessary. In between they are able to return home, or stay in the patient hotel with member of family or friend accompanying them. Such care approaches are common in the USA and in other parts of Europe. Despite the increased popularity of this approach in the UK, little research has been done on the patient experience of ambulatory care, how it affects their transplant journey and their perceptions about the outpatient transplant.
The researcher will conduct semi-structured interviews with the patients at three points during the transplant process; at the start, once admitted, and when discharged. The intention is to obtain patient perception on the different environments of care, how their social interactions changed with each care setting, the effect that they think ambulatory care had on their symptoms, the negative and positive aspects of the service, and their overall thoughts on the transplant process. Once the interviews have been completed and transcribed, they will undergo thematic analysis to identify common thoughts shared by the interviewees.
The aim of the study is to determine whether models of care such as ACU can offer a positive patient experience and if so, support the set up of other such treatment environments. This study may also act as a basis for a future quantitative study with higher patient numbers.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0284
Date of REC Opinion
20 Feb 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion