Representative quotes by key themes
| Theme | Quote |
|---|---|
| Individual-level | |
| Relationship with health care provider | I can’t say enough great things about him [inpatient physician]. He listens and he really saw Mom as a person. And I’m relieved that we’re going to be seeing him next Tuesday. He told me to get all my questions ready and write them down so I will be able to ask them again. [Participant 1016, family member] I have to go see 3 more specialists just to follow up. But [the in-hospital physician] is going to coordinate those specialists so nothing falls through the cracks, like one prescribing 1 drug and then another, so he’s going to be the central person there. So it makes me feel safer. [Participant 1013, patient] |
| Lived experience | I think that they realize this isn’t our first rodeo. … I think they realize that we were both pretty up on it and … didn’t have to go into [resources to assist with understanding condition discharge instructions] too much. [Participant 1025, family member] Self-care is really important because our health care system is not what it should be. [Participant 5025, patient] |
| Accessibility | I can’t walk. I’m tied to an oxygen tank. And I’m not able to use my stairs. I have no one to help me. And I need to take an oxygen tank with me, a wheelchair or a walker. But I need to have somebody take the wheelchair down in order for me to go anywhere. So I don’t go out of my apartment. [Participant 2005, patient] My mom speaks a little bit of English … she’ll understand a little bit. But if somebody [had] talked in Portuguese to her, it would have been a different story … they’d probably feel more comfortable. I was there most of the time, and then my brother was there most of the time. We’re just taking part of everything... . I went through all her tests, I kind of explain what is going on. [Participant 5035, family member] |
| System-level | |
| Utility of written instructions | That would have been nice if they could do that [provide discharge information a bit earlier] and just have any last-minute instruction on a separate piece of paper and a summary and the main discharge papers the day before. Because then I could read it all over and ask questions right while I was there. [Participant 1016, patient] |
| Feeling rushed | They just let you go. Goodbye. You’re gone. [Participant 5025, patient] |
| Meaningful and actionable content | I sort of panicked there for a bit because I wasn’t sure what I should do if [my husband] went into atrial fibrillation. So, no, I think maybe we could have been told a little more … “If it happened, here’s what you do.” [Participant 1027, family member] |
| Role of follow-up | We’ve got a lot of stuff to look over … and process. And this is the first time actually that we’ve come out and had a second chance to go back and see the doctors and talk it over with them and ask again what questions we have. You need a bit of time like this, and this is great. This follow-up appointment is a big plus. I don’t know if we would be able to get an appointment with my family doctor to get in and get Mom checked. [Participant 1016, patient] |