A quality improvement study of Barbara McInnis house medical respite facility at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program’s dental clinic
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Citation
Abstract
The issue of inadequate oral health care and the difficulties faced in maintaining consistent dental health are concerns for persons experiencing homelessness (PEH). The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) dental clinic strives to provide comprehensive and high-quality oral health care to meet the dental needs of homeless patients. One crucial aspect of improving oral health care for PEH is assessing patient satisfaction.Currently, there is no tool available to evaluate patient satisfaction specifically in relation to dental care at BHCHP. To address this gap in knowledge, a survey was developed and conducted at the dental clinic. The purpose of this survey was to identify and assess the needs and satisfaction levels of medical respite patients staying at Barbara McInnis House, at BHCHP. By gathering feedback from patients, the research aimed to inform the dental team at BHCHP about areas that require improvement and provide valuable information about oral health care among PEH who are undergoing medical respite care.
The study had three primary goals: first, to characterize the demographic profile and dental service utilization of patients who had completed at least one dental visit at BHCHP; second, for Barbara McInnis House patients, who did complete at least one dental visit, assess their usage relative to other variables. For patients who did not complete at least one visit, determine the level of interest in future dental care; third, to evaluate the level of satisfaction among patients relative to other dental service usage variables.
In designing this survey, questions about satisfaction were adapted from other standardized surveys focusing on oral health care and PEH. The survey was conducted between January 11, 2024, and February 17, 2024, targeting patients receiving medical respite care. All statistical analyses were performed using the latest version of IBM SPSS Statistics.
Out of the 64 patients included in the study, 57.8% had completed at least one dental visit at BHCHP, while 42.2% had not. Among those who had completed at least one dental visit, the majority were males, Caucasian, and between 45-54 years old. In terms of satisfaction levels, 56% of the satisfaction questions posed to patients received high scores. In general, patients at Barbara McInnis House who were interested in receiving dental care preferred to receive it at BHCHP, in comparison to those who were not interested. The dental services that were most commonly requested included cleanings, dentures, and extractions. However, among patients who were not interested in receiving care at BHCHP, there was an interest in cleanings, implants, and extractions.
No statistically significant relationships were found between satisfaction and the total number of dental appointments completed at BHCHP dental clinic or the time since the most recent appointment. This suggests there is no correlation between the total number of dental appointments nor the timing of the last dental visit and satisfaction.
It is clear that dental care is valued and utilized by medical respite patients at Barbara McInnis House. Overall, the majority of patients are satisfied with patient communication and commitment to care. They feel they are treated with courtesy and respect, understand their treatment options, recommendations, and oral health choices. However, they are less satisfied with how well they feel the dental team listens to them, how their comfort is prioritized during appointments, trust to keep oral health information private, and seeing the dental team quickly following a dental emergency.
Efforts to enhance the satisfaction and provision of dental care for PEH at BHCHP can be achieved by gaining a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to high or low satisfaction. Further research is necessary to develop quality improvement initiatives that consider the satisfaction levels of Barbara McInnis House patient’s oral health care. This project serves as an initial step towards comprehending the needs and level of satisfaction among medical respite patients at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program's dental clinic.
Description
2024