The Uveitis Patient Passport: A Self-Care Tool

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Patient self-care tools can improve patient outcomes in chronic disease. In uveitis, there is an unmet need for the innovative Uveitis Patient Passport (UPP). This study aims to evaluate the success of the passport’s introduction into a tertiary uveitis service through patient experience.

Methods: The UPP, created in consultation with patients and the multidisciplinary team, was evaluated using a patient questionnaire and mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology.

Results: Key themes emerged, with the passport used by participants as a self-care resource and an aid for cross-specialty communication. Patient involvement in evaluation identified key areas for passport development in line with patient needs. These included improving clinician engagement and future transference into a smartphone application.

Conclusion: The introduction of the first UPP was a success, especially as a self-care tool for supporting patients in managing their uveitis with the potential to improve patient outcomes.

Keywords:

• Chronic disease
• patient education
• patient involvement
• patient passport
• patient voice
• qualitative
• self-care
• uveitis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the uveitis and glaucoma teams at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, for their support with this project.

DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflict of interest