National Voices and Pfizer produce patient experience guide
Two PIF members have joined forces to produce a guide explaining what patient experience data is and how to use it effectively. National Voices was commissioned by Pfizer to develop the guide which describes patient experience as data about what care feels like from the patient’s perspective. The information was captured through surveys, feedback, complaints, and conversations.
The guide shares tips and practical advice on the process of collecting patient data responsibly. It states collecting data alone is not enough: patient experience data only adds value when it leads to meaningful change.
Start with a clear purpose
The guide says to collect patient data responsibly, you should:
- Start with ‘why’ – be clear about what you are collecting, from whom, and why.
- Get meaningful consent – tell people what you’ll do with their feedback.
- Make it accessible – offer different ways to give feedback but avoid digital-only routes.
- Pick the right tools – use a range of methods, tailored to your specific goals.
- Protect people’s data – store data securely.
- Close the loop – let individuals and communities know what changed as a result of their input.
Using data to help reduce inequalities
The guide also has a section on the importance of equity and collecting feedback from diverse communities. The guide suggests:
- Break down your data: Report findings by group to see who is missing – and who is missing out.
- Start with trust: Partner with trusted local groups to close trust gaps and share power.
- Make equity routine: Build equity into every stage of data collection and analysis – it is an obligation, not a ‘nice to have’.
- Hear from people not in the system: Go to where people are. Keep the agenda broad and open. Listen for what matters to them, not just what is useful to you.
- Over-represent under-represented groups: Deliberately oversample people who don’t usually take part.
Read the guide in full via the National Voices website here.