Table 3 Illustrative quotes for predominant themes

Logistical difficulties and competing life demands

Pt/CG 8: “Just the transportation challenges that we experience to get there…”

Pr16: “Most people are really trying to make it. It’s hard enough to do the day-to-day thing and you add in a medical disorder or work. It’s hard for them to follow through…the biggest issue is a lot of people just don’t remember their appointments.”

Gaps in scheduling and coordination

Pt/CG10: “So, definitely the scheduling time can be a little iffy because, like I said, they only have one person who does it.”

Pr12: “If a patient misses their appointment with us and it’s the same day that they’re scheduled to have a TCD, we have a major problem with getting them rescheduled for the TCD.”

Education and information

Pt/CG10: “You can never have too much information. Some people might not understand it like I got it. So, you know, definitely more education as far as that goes.”

Pr20: “I have to adequately educate families. I have to make sure they know what I’m talking about…that they understand the importance.”

Positive patient experience

Pt/CG16: “They have a little screen where the kids can watch cartoons and relax…that’s the biggest thing…keeping them calm and putting them in a good place.”

Provider and staff investment and assistance

Pt/CG19: “I do think them making appointments is really helpful because when I try to make appointments at any other unit within the hospital, it’s always painful to do.”

Pr1: “I actually just threatened [to radiology] that I myself was going to go and get training to do TCDs myself.”

Coordination, scheduling, and reminders

Pr23: “The resource that we have is phenomenal, in that the TCD person comes here and does it in one of our exam rooms. That’s our best resource.”

Pr15: “We do all of the screening tests, visits, vaccinations…in one day as much as possible.”

Convenient location

Pt/CG24: “It’s in the same facility…they took us from the clinic to it. It wasn’t two or three minutes away.”