Measuring user experiences on quality of care to drive integrated, person-centred primary care in Flanders

Background: As a non-profit partner organization, funded by the Flemish government, the Flemish Institute for Quality of Care (VIKZ) develops, measures, and benchmarks evidence-based quality indicators across healthcare sectors using standardized methodologies. The results are publicly reported on Zorgkwaliteit.be to promote transparency and stimulate quality improvement.

 

Approach: Setting-specific patient reported experience measures (PREMs) for pharmacies, social work, and family and maternal care services were developed in collaboration with clinicians, patient representatives, and scientific experts. These PREMs were implemented among service users in selected regions of Flanders (Belgium). In total, 120 participating organizations voluntarily recruited clients digitally or via paper surveys in 2024–2025. Data were descriptively analysed and reported.

 

Results: High user satisfaction scores (i.e., 9–10) were most frequent in pharmacies (88%, n=1.242), followed by family (56%, n=6.917) and maternal care services (56%, n=902), and social work (54% for clients that a more ad hoc contact, n=3.465; 50% for clients that were in an intense care trajectory: 50%, n=537).

Within pharmacies, only 31% of clients (n=446) recognized their pharmacist’s consistent role in care integration through collaboration with other care professionals, while 26% (n=362) reported the pharmacist always recommends contacting another professional when needed. In family and maternal care, 54% (n=6.759) and 50% (n=796) of clients respectively fully agreed that they were adequately informed about the available range of services. Among social service clients in an intense care trajectory, 30% (n=324) experienced care that was always well matched to their needs, and 30% (n=329) reported always having a fixed contact person.

 

Implications: Gaps in care coordination and continuity reveal concrete opportunities to strengthen collaboration and advance person-centred, integrated primary care in Flanders. Voluntary organizational participation may have caused selection bias. Future surveys should consider independent client recruitment to enhance representativeness.