Integrating Qualitative Data into Health System Decision Making: A Pilot Project with Engaged Student Researchers

Background: The Healthcare-Engaged Learning Project (H-ELP) aimed to support the collection of patient-reported experience data in underserved Saskatchewan, Canada communities while providing undergraduate students with meaningful patient-oriented research (POR) training.

Approach: The Healthcare-Engaged Learning Project (H-ELP) was a pilot community service-learning project conducted during the 2023-2024 academic year. H-ELP was offered by St. Thomas More College (STM), a University of Saskatchewan (USask) federated college, and in collaborative partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR). Undergraduate students (n = 28) completed a series of health research training modules in the first semester which prepared them to collect and analyze Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) in the second semester. Students collected data from communities identified as underserved by the SHA. Findings from student collected PREMs were then distributed to SHA decision-makers. A multidisciplinary research team was assembled to evaluate the project’s implementation and efficacy. The research team included USask faculty and staff, and three Patient Partners. Patient Partners were knowledgeable about People Centered Measurement and had lived experience in the areas of healthcare and education. Together, the research team collected data through virtual, semi-structured interviews. Patient Partners co-created interview guides and co-led interviews. Transcripts were analyzed by a USask staff member using inductive content analysis (ICA). Themes were collaboratively reviewed and revised by the research team.

Results: In total, 16/28 (57.1%) students, 4 SHA primary healthcare directors, and 2 STM educational directors were interviewed during H-ELP evaluation. Evaluation findings highlighted the project’s value as a learning experience as students indicated that the training modules were informative and prepared them to conduct research. During data collection, students felt they gained insight into patient experiences and developed personal skills. Furthermore, H-ELP demonstrated positive potential to contribute to a Learning Health System (LHS) approach within the SHA. Student collected data from one clinic motivated SHA decision-makers to prioritize staffing, funding, and access to health services which successfully led to shorter wait times at the clinic. Finally, data generated from H-ELP evaluation indicated that students needed more structure and support during training and research phases. Students suggested that distinct module objectives, additional data analysis training, and discrete timelines would improve H-ELP implementation. SHA decision-makers had overall positive feedback regarding H-ELP implementation and deemed the project a useful collaboration for collecting meaningful and actionable PREMs.

Implications: The potential for collaboration between post-secondary academic programs and the health system is relatively untapped in contexts other than clinical learning experiences. Findings from H-ELP evaluation indicate that the pilot project provided students a unique opportunity to develop crucial skills in patient-oriented research, and that student collected PREMS were valuable for SHA decision-makers. Importantly, student collected PREMs contributed to tangible improvement suggesting that aligning education practices with health system priorities could lead to improved experiences for patients and communities. By connecting individuals across organizational boundaries and generating useful patient-reported experience data, H-ELP is ideally situated to support the growth of a patient-oriented LHS in Saskatchewan.