[MA 2025 11] PEMs and GEMS: monitoring patient experience of usability of technologies implemented in University Medical Centers
Amsterdam UMC Department of Medical Informatics. In collaboration with Amsterdam UMC Department & Care Support Service.
Proposed by: David Neal [d.n.neal@amsterdamumc.nl]
Introduction
Patient experience is an unmissable pillar of value-based healthcare.1 In the Netherlands, University Medical Centres (UMCs) use Patient Experience Monitoring surveys (PEMs), in order to understand what patients are experiencing positively, and where there may be room for improvement. Recently, the PEMs used by Dutch UMCs have been upgraded to allow for exporting of free-text answers in response to open questions included in the survey. This can facilitate text-mining and additional analyses of qualitative patient experience data with respect to any topic of interest that patients may have mentioned in their responses.
Two important areas of interest with respect to patient experience are: 1) communication and the relationship between patients and clincians, and 2) interaction with digital technologies in the patient journey. The patient-clinician relationship, facilitated by empathic communication, and specific approaches to care such as shared decision making, is associated with better healthcare outcomes.1 Digitalization of healthcare delivery has evolved in many forms, including, for example, information sharing via patient portals, teleconsultation by videocall and online referral or appointment self-booking applications. Not all patients find technology easy to use, owing to individual variation in digital health literacy, and variation in the usability of technology applications.2 Many organizations are therefore attempting to emphasize inclusive digitalization. This includes Amsterdam UMC, whose strategy includes a commitment to digitalization that is accessible for all.
Currently it is unclear to what extent digitalization of care may positively or negatively impact patient experience of their relationship with their clinicians. Furthermore, to ensure the best quality care is equitably accessible, and to realize potential improvements in efficiency and care experience through digitalization, monitoring experienced usability is crucial. The GEMS instrument, developed and validated in Amsterdam UMC, uses accessible language to evaluate the usability of digital tools.3 However, implementing the GEMS instrument at scale in order to capture diverse and representative sample of patients using technology is a challenge. Using the new text-mining capabilities of the PEMs may offer an opportunity to conduct analyses using the usability domains of the GEMS on a large dataset.
Description of the SRP Project/Problem
The goal of this SRP is to investigate current patients of Amsterdam UMC’s experience of the patient-clinician relationship, and to investigate how PEM data might be analysed to monitor patient experience with respect to the topics of the patient-clinician relationship and technology use, using the domains of the GEMS instrument. As a cross-sectional analysis, this should provide a snapshot of current patient experience, identifying areas of good practice, and categorizing any opportunities to improve patient experience. As a methodological study, it should be clear how UMCs can use (free text) PEM data to longitudinally monitor patient experience with respect to the patient-clinician-relationship and digital technologies that are part of the patient journey, with an approach structured in line with the domains of the validated GEMS instrument.
Research questions
RQ1) Which strategies or methods could be applied to text-mining free text answers to open questions in order to identify mentions of digital technologies? (review)
RQ2) How do current patients of Amsterdam UMC experience the relationship with their clinicians, and quality of communication? (survey – data will be collected by the student)
RQ3) Based on free text data from the most recent PEM from Amsterdam UMC (data already collected), what are current strengths and areas for improvement regarding usability of technologies implemented in the patient journey? Do these map to the GEMS domains? And are they associated with experience of the patient-clinician relationship?
Expected results
- Master thesis (three chapters, at least one of which potentially suitable to write up and publish as scientific articles)
- Management report on current patient experience with usability of technology in patient journey within Amsterdam UMC and advice for future monitoring
Time period, please tick at least 1 time period
- November – June (x)
- May - November
References
Neal D, Archer C, Kossowsky J, Molinari-Ulate M, Nestor BA, Wild MG, Kelley JM. The influence of the patient-clinician relationship on healthcare outcomes: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Submitted. 2025.
Bodenheimer T, Sinsky C. From Triple to Quadruple Aim: Care of the Patient Requires Care of the Provider. The Annals of Family Medicine. 2014. 12 (6) 573-576; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1713
van Kessel R, Wong BLH, Clemens T, Brand H. Digital health literacy as a super determinant of health: More than simply the sum of its parts. Internet Interv. 2022 Feb 7;27:100500. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2022.100500.
Oudbier SJ, Smets EM, Nieuwkerk PT, Neal DP, Nurmohamed SA, Meij HJ, Dusseljee-Peute LW. Patients' Experienced Usability and Satisfaction With Digital Health Solutions in a Home Setting: Instrument Validation Study. JMIR Med Inform. 2025 Jan 8;13:e63703. doi: 10.2196/63703.