Bodil Wilde-Larsson

My research areas are:

• Quality of care and patient safety

• Learning and competence development

My research interests lie mainly in quality of care and patient safety. A significant contribution has been the development of a  theoretical model of quality of care from a patient perspective and a measuring instrument /questionnaire known as‘ Quality from the Patient's Perspective (QPP)’. The model and the instrument was developed in conjunction with colleagues and  has been refined to apply to a large number of health care contexts. They are also applicable for relatives and health care personnel. The methodology has received extensive national and international attention. Numerous studies have been conducted to shed light on how the interaction between individual factors and organisational conditions affect the quality of care. Intervention studies have been conducted to study the effects of changes in the health care organisation, including the working model ‘Patient-closer care’. This work relates to patients’ and professionals’ perceptions of quality of care and health professionals perceptions of their work environment. Work is ongoing to include QPP  in national quality registers. My interest in instrument development and collaborative work with colleagues has also resulted in the development of instruments to measure patient satisfaction; the Emotional Stress Reaction Questionnaire (ESRQ) and in nursing competence; the Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC). Several studies are ongoing where these instruments are being used. In terms of method, my research expertise lies in both quantitative and qualitative studies, and systematic literature reviews.

Examples of ongoing research in health care quality and patient safety

Based on the different perspectives, e.g. patients, families and caregivers, and contexts  such as emergency care, obstetric care, palliative care and care of the elderly, studies include:
(A) patients' perceptions of quality of care, patient satisfaction and patient involvement in their care, as well as other actors' perceptions
(B) antecedent personal and contextual conditions behind these perceptions

(C) how practical interventions can be developed and implemented
(D) the conceptual and psychometric development of questionnaire, such as the QPP and the ESRQ.
 

I am a registered nurse and defended my thesis  "Quality of care: models, instruments, and empirical results Among elderly" in 1994 at the Medical Faculty, University of Gothenburg.