Article

OBJECTIVE: To explore how the social context of the clinic influenced the way
former patients with lower limb loss in the Military Advanced Training Center at
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center evaluated their outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional phenomenological-based interviews and observations. PATIENTS:
Twenty individuals with lower limb amputation were recruited from a
multidisciplinary military treatment programme for patients with lower-extremity
traumatic limb-loss injured in Afghanistan or Iraq. METHODS: Lightly structured
interviews were conducted either in person or over the telephone with former
patients and clinical care-providers. Where possible, observation was conducted
in conjunction with the interviews. The research team used content analysis of
the data, consistent with ethnographic methods. RESULTS: Analysis of the
therapeutic effect of social relationships developed in the clinical
rehabilitation programme identified 3 areas of significance: enduring
relationships with key care-providers, access to treatment team by patients, and
peer support among patients. CONCLUSION: The social component of service delivery
influences patients' outcomes from clinical care. These results could be
translated across healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes.

Langue : ANGLAIS