The transitional risk and incident questionnaire was valid and reliable for measuring transitional patient safety from the patients' perspective

Marije A van Melle, Henk F van Stel, Judith M Poldervaart, Niek J de Wit, Dorien L M Zwart

This study describes the development and validation of the Transitional Risk and Incident Questionnaire (TRIQ), which measures transitional patient safety from the patients' perspective. The TRIQ questionnaire was developed based on literature review, tested in the target group using a think-aloud procedure, and validated by a cross-sectional study among patients receiving healthcare at the interface between general practice and hospital care in two regions in the Netherlands. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed and internal consistency was assessed. The relationships between the occurrence of transitional safety incidents (TSI) as measured by the TRIQ questionnaire and relational continuity, and between TSI occurrence and overall rating of transitions were assessed. In total, 451 questionnaires were completed for analysis. The EFA provided a four-factor solution: 1) personal relation with general practitioner, 2) personal relation with hospital physician, 3) information exchange, and 4) treatment consistency. Internal consistency was good (composite reliability 0.75-0.95). An experienced TSI was related to a poorer relational continuity both with the general practitioner and hospital, and with a lower overall rating of all transitions. The TRIQ questionnaire is a valid and reliable questionnaire measuring transitional patient safety from the patients' perspective.