Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, 2024 E. Monument Street, Suite 2-700, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
BMC Geriatr. 2019 Mar 15;19(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12877-019-1098-y.
Medical Visit Companions (MVCs) are encouraged for older adults' routine medical encounters. Little data exist on the experiences and contributions of non-spouse companions for the growing population of older adults without a living spouse.
We conducted six focus groups with forty non-spouse MVCs identified through churches in Baltimore, Maryland. Thematic analysis was used to identify key issues before the visit, during the visit itself, after the visit, and in the overall companion experience.
MVCs described their experiences positively but also highlighted many challenges related to the role that extended far beyond the visit itself. These included scheduling, transportation, communication, and coordination of care expectations.
Our increasingly complex healthcare system can be challenging for older adults to navigate successfully. The diverse nature of tasks performed by companions in this study highlight the many benefits of having a companion accompany older patients to medical visits. The positive experience of the companions studied and their willingness to continue their role in the future highlights the untapped potential for increased social facilitation to improve the quality of healthcare visits and achieve patient-centered care for all older patients.
鼓励为老年人的常规医疗就诊配备医疗访问同伴（MVC）。对于越来越多没有在世配偶的老年人群体，有关非配偶同伴的经历和贡献的数据很少。
我们在马里兰州巴尔的摩的教堂中通过识别出四十名非配偶 MVC 进行了六组焦点小组。采用主题分析方法来确定就诊前、就诊期间、就诊后以及整个同伴体验中的关键问题。
MVC 对他们的经历描述是积极的，但也强调了许多与该角色相关的挑战，这些挑战远远超出了就诊本身。这些挑战包括安排、交通、沟通和协调护理期望。
我们日益复杂的医疗保健系统对老年人来说很难成功应对。本研究中同伴执行的任务的多样性强调了让同伴陪伴老年患者就诊的诸多好处。研究中同伴的积极体验以及他们愿意继续他们的角色，突出了增加社会促进以提高医疗就诊质量和实现所有老年患者以患者为中心的护理的潜力。
