Discrete Choice Experiment project - Topic descriptions

Identifying parent preferences for care during a child’s admission to hospital

Topic descriptions

1. Medication error rates: Patients in hospitals can sometimes experience errors in their care. Medication errors are not common, and do not usually cause any harm
2. Medication reviews: Getting the right mix and doses of medications can be difficult as medications given to treat one problem can interact with other medications your child is taking. Medication reviews ensure a specialist is reviewing and co-ordinating the overall care of your child.
3. Information on medication errors: Most errors that occur in hospital do not result in any harm to your child. Being told of any errors involving your child can be important so that you are aware of all aspects of their care, but for some parents too much information, where the child is not harmed, can cause additional stress.
4. Access to non-urgent care: Clinical response teams are always available to deal with medical emergencies in hospital. However, for less urgent care, hospitals need to carefully manage resources to ensure a sufficient number of qualified staff are available to provide ongoing support and advice to parents and patients within a reasonable time frame.
5. Ward structure: Most wards have a mixture of single-bed rooms and two-bed rooms, as well as beds on the general ward area. Some children need to be treated in a single room because of infection risks or for specialised care. Some parents prefer the privacy of a single room, whereas others prefer the visibility of the general wards.
6. Cost and availability of parking: Access to parking is often a critical issue when bringing a sick child to hospital, when public transport is not possible, or when trying to bring your child to hospital for time critical treatment. However, this needs to be considered with the cost of parking.
7. Length of stay: The length of time your child needs to spend in hospital may sometimes change due to a range of factors. For example, specialised drugs may not be available or you may need to wait for test results that delay discharge. A change in expected length of stay can impact any arrangements you have made for you and your family.