Transforming healthcare: A pilot study to improve primary healthcare professionals' self-management support behaviour through blended learning.

BACKGROUND: Self-management of a chronic condition is a complex but increasingly important issue. However, a supportive attitude and behaviour among healthcare professionals is hampered by a lack of awareness, knowledge and motivation. In addition, the role of professionals in supporting self-management seems unclear. METHODS: A blended learning program for primary healthcare professionals was developed to strengthen self-management support in primary care. The program was piloted in community health centres and multidisciplinary medical practices in Flanders. Using the Kirkpatrick model, the impact on healthcare professionals' reaction, learning and behaviour regarding self-management support was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 60 healthcare professionals registered for the educational program. Post-learning questionnaires and verbal feedback showed a positive response, with professionals highly appreciating the innovative blended learning approach. In terms of learning, participants showed a good understanding of self-management support, although nuances were observed in the application of acquired knowledge to practice scenarios. Finally, preliminary insights into behavioural change were explored, revealing a positive impact of the intervention on participants' supportive self-management behaviours in healthcare practice. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides preliminary insights into the outcomes of a blended learning program designed to increase awareness and knowledge of self-management support among professionals. The program needs to be refined for general implementation in primary care.

A systematic review of shared decision making training programs for general practitioners.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision making (SDM) has been presented as the preferred approach for decisions where there is more than one acceptable option and has been identified a priority feature of high-quality patient-centered care. Considering the foundation of trust between general practitioners (GPs) and patients and the variety of diseases in primary care, the primary care context can be viewed as roots of SDM. GPs are requesting training programs to improve their SDM skills leading to a more patient-centered care approach. Because of the high number of training programs available, it is important to overview these training interventions specifically for primary care and to explore how these training programs are evaluated. METHODS: This review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA guideline. Eight different databases were used in December 2022 and updated in September 2023. Risk of bias was assessed using ICROMS. Training effectiveness was analyzed using the Kirkpatrick evaluation model and categorized according to training format (online, live or blended learning). RESULTS: We identified 29 different SDM training programs for GPs. SDM training has a moderate impact on patient (SMD 0.53 95% CI 0.15-0.90) and observer reported SDM skills (SMD 0.59 95%CI 0.21-0.97). For blended training programs, we found a high impact for quality of life (SMD 1.20 95% CI -0.38-2.78) and patient reported SDM skills (SMD 2.89 95%CI -0.55-6.32). CONCLUSION: SDM training improves patient and observer reported SDM skills in GPs. Blended learning as learning format for SDM appears to show better effects on learning outcomes than online or live learning formats. This suggests that teaching facilities designing SDM training may want to prioritize blended learning formats. More homogeneity in SDM measurement scales and evaluation approaches and direct comparisons of different types of educational formats are needed to develop the most appropriate and effective SDM training format. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: A systematic review of shared-decision making training programs in a primary care setting. PROSPERO 2023 CRD42023393385 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023393385 .

Impact of a postpartum care rehabilitation program to prevent postpartum depression at a secondary municipal hospital in Qingdao China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The emerging postpartum rehabilitation (PPR) program in Chinese hospitals characterized by applying ongoing medical care through traditional cultural practices shows a protective effect in early puerperium in China. This study explores the benefit of PPR program practices to postpartum depression (PPD) and the influencing factors for PPD among Chinese women during the first postnatal six weeks. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 403 participants and was conducted in a Secondary Municipal Hospital in Qingdao, China, from 01 to 2018 to 31 December 2021. Information on this PPR program was collected during the six-weeks postpartum consultation, including the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) scores, the measurement results for diastasis recti abdominis, and the international physical activity questionnaire (long form) (IPAQ-L) scores. Logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of the PPR program on PPD among the local population. The secondary aim of this study was to investigate possible influencing factors for PPD, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), physical exercises, etc. RESULTS: PPR program has shown a positive effect in preventing PPD (p < 0.001) and diastasis recti prevalence (p < 0.001) during the six-weeks postnatal control in Qingdao, China. Better post-pregnancy weight reduction (p = 0.04) and higher metabolic equivalent of task (MET) value (p < 0.001) were noticed in the non-PPR group. Furthermore, lower PPD risk was associated with factors such as longer relationship duration years (2-5 years) (p = 0.04) and exercising one to three times a week (p = 0.01). A higher PPD risk was related to factors such as urinary incontinence during the postpartum period (p = 0.04) and subjective insomnia (p < 0.001). No significant effect was shown between COVID-19 and the EPDS score in this study (p = 0.50). CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that the PPR program provided protection against PPD and diastasis recti during the first six weeks after delivery. Urinary incontinence and subjective insomnia were the main risk factors for PPD, while longer relationship duration years and exercising one to three times a week gave protective effects to PPD. This study emphasized that a comprehensive ongoing medical care program, such as the PPR program, effectively improves women's mental and physical health in the early postpartum in China.

Digital encounter decision aids linked to clinical practice guidelines: results from user testing SHARE-IT decision aids in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Encounter decision aids (EDAs) are tools that can support shared decision making (SDM), up to the clinical encounter. However, adoption of these tools has been limited, as they are hard to produce, to keep up-to-date, and are not available for many decisions. The MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation has created a new generation of decision aids that are generically produced along digitally structured guidelines and evidence summaries, in an electronic authoring and publication platform (MAGICapp). We explored general practitioners' (GPs) and patients' experiences with five selected decision aids linked to BMJ Rapid Recommendations in primary care. METHODS: We applied a qualitative user testing design to evaluate user experiences for both GPs and patients. We translated five EDAs relevant to primary care, and observed the clinical encounters of 11 GPs when they used the EDA with their patients. We conducted a semi-structured interview with each patient after the consultation and a think-aloud interview with each GPs after multiple consultations. We used the Qualitative Analysis Guide (QUAGOL) for data analysis. RESULTS: Direct observations and user testing analysis of 31 clinical encounters showed an overall positive experience. The EDAs created better involvement in decision making and resulted in meaningful insights for patients and clinicians. The design and its interactive, multilayered structure made the tool enjoyable and well-organized. Difficult terminology, scales and numbers hindered understanding of certain information, which was sometimes perceived as too specialized or even intimidating. GPs thought the EDA was not suitable for every patient. They perceived a learning curve was required and the need for time investment was a concern. The EDAs were considered trustworthy as they were provided by a credible source. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that EDAs can be useful tools in primary care by supporting actual shared decision making and enhancing patient involvement. The graphical approach and clear representation help patients better understand their options. To overcome barriers such as health literacy and GPs attitudes, effort is still needed to make the EDAs as accessible, intuitive and inclusive as possible through use of plain language, uniform design, rapid access and training. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was approved by the The Research Ethics Committee UZ/KU Leuven (Belgium) on 31-10-2019 with reference number MP011977.

How do people living with chronic conditions and their informal caregivers experience primary care? A phenomenological-hermeneutical study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Gaining insight in how people living with chronic conditions experience primary healthcare within their informal network. BACKGROUND: The primary healthcare system is challenged by the increasing number of people living with chronic conditions. To strengthen chronic care management, literature and policy plans point to a person-centred approach of care (PCC). A first step to identify an appropriate strategy to implement PCC is to gain more insight into the care experiences of these people and their informal caregivers. DESIGN: A phenomenological-hermeneutical philosophy is used. The study is in line with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Guidelines (COREQ). METHOD: In-depth, semi-structured interviews with people living with chronic conditions and informal caregiver dyads (PCDs) (n = 16; 32 individuals) were conducted. An open-ended interview guide was used to elaborate on the PCDs' experiences regarding primary care. A purposive, maximal variation sampling was applied to recruit the participants. RESULTS: Based on sixteen PCDs' reflections, ten themes were identified presenting their experiences with primary care and described quality care as listening and giving attention to what people with chronic conditions want, to what they strive for, and above all to promote their autonomy in a context wherein they are supported by a team of formal caregivers, family and friends. CONCLUSION: To meet the PCDs' needs, self-management should be addressed in an interprofessional environment in which the PCD is an important partner. The findings may facilitate a shift to encourage PCDs in their strengths by enabling them to share their personal goals and by working towards meaningful activities in team collaboration. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Three strategies-self-management support, goal-oriented care, and interprofessional collaboration-have been suggested to improve the PCDs' primary care experiences. These strategies could guide nursing practice in using more and improve high-quality nursing care.

Mapping key components of community-oriented strategies to facilitate alcohol-related early identification and brief intervention in general practice: a scoping review.

Hazardous alcohol use is one of the leading risk factors for morbidity and mortality in the world. Early identification and brief interventions (EIBIs) delivered in primary care is an effective but underutilized strategy to address this issue. Community-oriented strategies (COS) are suggested to facilitate EIBI delivery. COS are public health activities directed to the general population raising awareness and encouraging behaviour change. Unfortunately, it remains unclear what these COS should comprise and what their added value might be in EIBI delivery. To map the available information on COS aiming to facilitate alcohol-related EIBI delivery in general practice. A scoping review, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping reviews guidelines, was used to map both grey and peer-reviewed literature. Of the 6586 information sources screened, 8 sources were retained in this review. Three COS are currently described in the literature, all with their different components. They include the use of mass media, self-assessment tools and waiting room actions. Waiting room actions comprising audio recordings or computerized self-assessment tools significantly increase the discussion on alcohol use in primary care. The effect of mass media and community-wide self-assessment tools on EIBI delivery remains to be determined. Currently, the described COS lack empirical justification to motivate their added value in facilitating EIBI delivery. However, a theoretical reflection showed the use of a limited set of behaviour change techniques, which might support the use of COS. There remains a lot of possible strategies to explore. This review highlights the current evidence gap and discusses the next steps.

Perspectives of older adults with a chronic condition on functioning, social participation and health: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Problems with mobility, functioning and social participation make living independently difficult for frail older adults. To continue living independently, therapy adherence is a prerequisite. The causes for non-adherence among older adults are multiple and complex, which is why insight into older adults' perspectives regarding their functioning is an essential factor to increase therapy adherence. This study investigates the perspectives of older adults on their functioning, social participation and health, and the factors influencing these elements. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study on the older adult's perceived functioning, social participation and health. Fourteen home-dwelling older adults suffering from chronic health issues were purposively selected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with open-ended questions. Data were analysed following the Basic Logical Model of Abduction and Creswell's coding method. RESULTS: Assistive devices, the older adult's dwelling and living environment, professional and informal support, and medication are perceived as important determinants for retaining functioning and social participation. Attitude, social influence and personal effectiveness were found to influence whether a person performs or participates in an activity. A person's attitude is related to the significance the activity has to that person, the activity's importance, personal wellbeing, the person's values, and their desire for autonomy. Peers and children have a social influence on the level of activity of the older person. Traditions, in particular religious activities, along with personal effectiveness are motivating factors determining whether a person performs or participates in an activity. Personal effectiveness is linked to the person's belief in their personal competencies and to the relationship between effort and result. Finally, it appears that the type of coping strategy the older adult adopts, has an influence on their behavior. The participating older adults often used remarkable problem-focused strategies, which had a positive effect on their level of autonomy. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults have identified barriers and facilitators that influence their level of functioning and social participation. These findings help to create a framework for maintaining and increasing therapy adherence, which may be helpful in facilitating occupational therapists and other healthcare professionals to detect determinants of therapy adherence.

Primary care implementation study to scale up early identification and brief intervention and reduce alcohol-related negative outcomes at the community level (PINO): study protocol for a quasi-experimental 3-arm study.

BACKGROUND: Primary healthcare-based Early Identification and Brief Intervention (EIBI) for hazardous and harmful alcohol use is both a clinically relevant and cost-effective strategy to reduce heavy drinking. Unfortunately, it remains poorly implemented in daily practice. Multiple studies have shown that training and support (T&S) programs can increase the use of EIBI. Nonetheless, gains have only been modest and short-term at best. Suggestions have been made to rely more on multicomponent programs that simultaneously address several barriers to the implementation of EIBI. The PINO-project aims to evaluate the added value of such a multicomponent program to improve EIBI delivery in daily practice. METHODS/DESIGN: A quasi-experimental three-arm implementation study in Flanders (Belgium) will assess the effects of tailored T&S to General Practitioners (GPs) with or without community mobilisation on EIBI delivery in general practice. The study lasts 18 months and will take place in three comparable municipalities. In municipality 1 and 2, GPs receive a tailored T&S program. The T&S is theoretically founded and tailored to the GPs' views, needs and practice characteristics. Furthermore, community actions will be embedded within municipality 1 providing additional, contextual, support. In municipality 3, GPs are offered a minimal intervention to facilitate data collection. The primary outcome is the proportion of adult patients screened for hazardous and harmful alcohol use at the end of an 18-month implementation period. The secondary outcome is the scaling up activity at municipal level in screening rates, as assessed every 3 months, and the proportion of patients who received an additional brief intervention when necessary. Furthermore, the correlation between the opinions and needs of the GP's, their practice organisation and their EIBI performance will be explored. DISCUSSION: The PINO-project addresses the gap between what is theoretically possible and the current practice. This is an innovative study combining T&S at GP level with community actions. At the same time, it implements and evaluates practice T&S based on the theoretical domains framework. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was approved by the Ethics Committee for Research of UZ/KU Leuven (reference number s63342 and G-2020-2177-R2(MAR)) and is registered on clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT04398576 ) in May 2020.

General practitioners' perceptions about their role in current and future heart failure care: an exploratory qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive disease management programme (DMP) with a central role for general practitioners (GPs) is needed to improve heart failure (HF) care. However, previous research has shown that GPs have mixed experiences with multidisciplinary HF care. Therefore, in this study, we explore the perceptions that GPs have regarding their role in current and future HF care, prior to the design of an HF disease management programme. METHODS: This was a qualitative semi-structured interview study with Belgian GPs until data saturation was reached. The QUAGOL method was used for data analysis. RESULTS: In general, GPs wanted to assume a central role in HF care. Current interdisciplinary collaboration with cardiologists was perceived as smooth, partly because of the ease of access. In contrast, due to less well-established communication and the variable knowledge of nurses regarding HF care, collaboration with home care nurses was perceived as suboptimal. With regard to the future organization of HF care, all GPs confirmed the need for a structured chronic care approach and envisioned this as a multidisciplinary care pathway: flexible, patient-centred, without additional administration and with appropriate delegation of some critical tasks, including education and monitoring. GPs considered all-round general practice nurses as the preferred partner to delegate tasks to in HF care and reported limited experience in collaborating with specialist HF nurses. CONCLUSION: GPs expressed the need for a protocol-driven care pathway in chronic HF care. However, in contrast to the existing care trajectories, this pathway should be flexible, without additional administrative burdens and with a central role for GPs.

α-Blockers for uncomplicated ureteric stones: a clinical practice guideline.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an evidence-based recommendation concerning the use of α-blockers for uncomplicated ureteric stones based on an up-to-date Cochrane review, as the role of medical expulsive therapy for uncomplicated ureteric stones remains controversial in the light of new contradictory trial evidence. METHODS: We applied the Rapid Recommendations approach to guideline development, which represents an innovative approach by an international collaborative network of clinicians, researchers, methodologists and patient representatives seeking to rapidly respond to new, potentially practice-changing evidence with recommendations developed according to standards for trustworthy guidelines. RESULTS: The panel suggests the use of α-blockers in addition to standard care over standard care alone in patients with uncomplicated ureteric stones (weak recommendation based on low-quality evidence). The panel judged that the net benefit of α-blockers was small and that there was considerable uncertainty about patients' values and preferences. This means that the panel expects that most patients would choose treatment with α-blockers but that a substantial proportion would not. This recommendation applies to both patients in whom the presence of ureteric stones is confirmed by imaging, as well as patients in whom the diagnosis is made based on clinical grounds only. CONCLUSION: The Rapid Recommendations panel suggests the use of α-blockers for patients with ureteric stones. Shared decision-making is emphasised in making the final choice between the treatment options.

Spiritual history taking in palliative home care: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Many health-care providers experience barriers to addressing spiritual needs, such as not having the right vocabulary. The ars moriendi model might be a feasible tool for spiritual history taking in palliative care. AIM: To investigate the effect of a structured spiritual history taking on the spiritual well-being of palliative patients in home care. DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial, conducted between February and October 2013. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Registered nurses and general practitioners approached eligible patients with an incurable, life-threatening disease for study participation. Health-care providers allocated to the intervention arm of the study took a spiritual history on the basis of the ars moriendi model. Health-care providers in the control arm provided care as usual. Patient-reported outcomes on spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, and patient-provider trust were assessed at two points in time. RESULTS: A total of 245 health-care providers participated in the study (204 nurses and 41 physicians). In all, 49 patient-provider dyads completed the entire study protocol. The median age of the patients was 75 years (range: 41-95 years), and 55% of the patients were female. There were no significant differences at any point in time in the scores on spiritual well-being, quality of life, pain, or patient-provider trust between the intervention and the control group. CONCLUSION: This cluster randomized controlled trial showed no demonstrable effect of spiritual history taking on patient scores for spiritual well-being, quality of life, health-care relationship trust, or pain. Further research is needed to develop instruments that accurately assess the effectiveness of spiritual interventions in palliative care populations.

'Life is still worth living': a pilot exploration of self-reported resources of palliative care patients.

BACKGROUND: Facing a terminal illness can be highly stressful and palliative care patients frequently suffer from mood symptoms. The focus of health care is often on treating symptoms whereas health-promoting factors receive less attention. The aim of this study was to explore the views of palliative care patients on resources and ways of coping that help them prevent or manage mood symptoms. METHODS: A pilot qualitative study was performed through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with fifteen ambulant patients with advanced cancer. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and qualitative analysis was performed independently by two researchers, according to the principle of constant comparative analysis. RESULTS: Patients reported on attitudes and specific coping strategies that they found helpful, as well as aspects of their life narrative and spirituality. Resources were found in meaningful contacts with family and friends and in personal attention of professional medical caregivers for their wellbeing. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that palliative care patients could identify resources to cope with mood symptoms in the context of their unique life. In helping patients to identify the personal resources that are accessible and available in their specific context, patient autonomy in enhancing resilience could be increased.

Vulnerability of wives of Nepalese labor migrants to HIV infection: Integrating quantitative and qualitative evidence.

HIV risk is determined by the interaction between social and individual risk factors, but information about such factors among Nepalese women is not yet understood. Therefore, to assess the risk factors and vulnerability of the wives of Nepalese labor migrants to HIV infection, the authors conducted a mixed-methods study in which a descriptive qualitative study was embedded within a case-control study. Two hundred twenty-four wives of labor migrants were interviewed in the case-control study, and two focus group discussions (n = 8 and 9) were conducted in the qualitative study. The authors found that illiteracy, low socio-economic status, and gender inequality contributed to poor knowledge and poor sexual negotiation among the wives of labor migrants and increased their risk of HIV through unprotected sex. Among male labor migrants, illiteracy, low socio-economic status, migration to India before marriage, and alcohol consumption contributed to liaisons with female sex workers, increasing the risk of HIV to the men and their wives through unprotected sex. Both labor migrants and their wives feared disclosure of positive HIV status due to HIV stigma and thus were less likely to be tested for HIV. HIV prevention programs should consider the interaction among these risk factors when targeting labor migrants and their wives.

Defining Vision and Mission of a Medical Psychiatry Unit (MPU) for Older Adults: A Focus Group Study.

This study aims to determine the vision and mission of an academic hospital's medical psychiatry unit (MPU) that exclusively treats geriatric patients. All healthcare providers working at an academic hospital's geriatric MPU were invited to reflect on formulate the vision and mission of this ward. Twenty-two of them took part in the focus group interviews. The interviews focused on defining the MPU's functioning, its objectives, how it will reach these objectives, and where the MPU aspires to go. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to the QUAGOL guide. The themes from the analysis emerged from these group discussions. The participants defined the MPU's vision as to excel in integrated mental and physical geriatric inpatient healthcare, inspiring others to shed the stigma related to this vulnerable patient population. The mission that emerged from the focus group discussions is to provide patient-centered, integrated healthcare for older adults with combined mental and physical disorders. To achieve this, involving the patient's network, interdisciplinarity, shared decision-making, clear communication between all stakeholders, and reintegration of patients into their communities emerged as important themes. This study provides a vision and mission of a geriatric MPU in an academic psychiatric hospital. Since there is no consensus in the literature about the characteristics of MPUs despite the international call for integrated care for older persons with combined mental and physical disorders, these vision and mission statements can feed the discussion on how to install excellent healthcare for this vulnerable patient population.

Integrated Care Models for Older Adults with Depression and Physical Comorbidity: A Scoping Review.

Objective: Multimorbidity is a growing challenge in the care for older people with mental illness. To address both physical and mental illnesses, integrated care management is required. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify core components of integrated care models for older adults with depression and physical comorbidity, and map reported outcomes and implementation strategies. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane Library were searched independently by two reviewers for studies concerning integrated care interventions for older adults with depression and physical comorbidity. We used the SELFIE framework to map core components of integrated care models. Clinical and organisational outcomes were mapped. Results: Thirty-eight studies describing thirteen care models were included. In all care models, a multidisciplinary team was involved. The following core components were mainly described: continuity, person-centredness, tailored holistic assessment, pro-activeness, treatment interaction, individualized care planning, and coordination tailored to complexity of care needs. Twenty-seven different outcomes were evaluated, with more attention given to clinical than to organisational outcomes. Conclusion: The core components that comprise integrated care models are diverse. Future studies should focus more on implementation aspects of the intervention and describe financial parts, e.g., the cost of the intervention for the healthcare user, more transparently.

Healthcare providers' perception of caring for older patients with depression and physical multimorbidity: insights from a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: The caretaking process for older adults with depression and physical multimorbidity is complex. Older patients with both psychiatric and physical illnesses require an integrated and comprehensive approach to effectively manage their care. This approach should address common risk factors, acknowledge the bidirectional relationship between somatic and mental health conditions, and integrate treatment strategies for both aspects. Furthermore, active engagement of healthcare providers in shaping new care processes is imperative for achieving sustainable change. OBJECTIVE: To explore and understand the needs and expectations of healthcare providers (HCPs) concerning the care for older patients with depression and physical multimorbidity. METHODS: Seventeen HCPs who work with the target group in primary and residential care participated in three focus group interviews. A constructivist Grounded Theory approach was applied. The results were analyzed using the QUAGOL guide. RESULTS: Participants highlighted the importance of patient-centeredness, interprofessional collaboration, and shared decision-making in current healthcare practices. There is also a need to further emphasize the advantages and risks of technology in delivering care. Additionally, HCPs working with this target population should possess expertise in both psychiatric and somatic care to provide comprehensive care. Care should be organized proactively, anticipating needs rather than reacting to them. Healthcare providers, including a dedicated care manager, might consider collaborating, integrating their expertise instead of operating in isolation. Lastly, effective communication among HCPs, patients, and their families is crucial to ensure high-quality care delivery. CONCLUSION: The findings stress the importance of a comprehensive approach to caring for older adults dealing with depression and physical comorbidity. These insights will fuel the development of an integrated care model that caters to the needs of this population.

Self-management support (SMS) in primary care practice: a qualitative focus group study of care professionals' experiences.

BACKGROUND: To support self-management of chronically ill persons, innovative approaches of care practice are being developed. Unfortunately, many self-management supporting interventions struggle to achieve reliable and consistent improvements at various levels (patient, provider and healthcare system level). One possible strategy to facilitate translating theory into practice, is to consider the healthcare professionals' perspective prior to the development of new interventions. An exploration of their knowledge and opinion about barriers and facilitators is necessary before employing any self-management support (SMS) intervention. Therefore, our study aims to explore care professionals' perspectives about SMS within the Flemish primary care setting. METHODS: This study used a qualitative study design to examine SMS in primary care setting. Five focus groups were conducted, grouped into three waves. Participants were healthcare professionals in Flanders representing different disciplines and settings. A maximum variation purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. For the data analysis, the framework of thematic networks by Attride-Stirling was applied. RESULTS: A total of 34 healthcare professionals participated. Three global themes related to SMS were derived from the thematic analysis: (1) Characteristics, (2) Support strategies, (3) Barriers and facilitators. SMS was characterised as a collaboration-based and person-centred approach. A variety of supporting strategies were mentioned by the focus group participants. Most strategies consisted of informing and educating patients. Complementary to individual strategies, collaborative strategies were deemed necessary to support self-management. Regarding barriers and facilitators, different patient-related factors were identified. Additionally, competencies of healthcare providers and external factors seem to hinder the implementation of SMS in practice. CONCLUSIONS: This focus group study highlights the importance of a collaborative, person-centred approach to SMS in the context of chronic diseases. Our findings point to the need for interventions that raise awareness and address barriers associated with SMS. Since generic SMS does not exist, the road to success is a growth process in which support must be adapted to the individual patient.

Physicians' and residents' educational needs regarding shared decision making: A focus group study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the educational needs of physicians and residents regarding shared decision making (SDM). METHODS: We conducted eight focus groups with 12 general practitioners (GPs), 14 hospital specialists, 12 hospital specialist residents and 13 GP residents in Belgium. We used thematic analysis to guide data analysis. RESULTS: We identified five educational needs: (1) the need for a clear understanding of the definition of SDM and its scope; (2) how to deal with a changing professional identity; (3) acquisition of skills to perform SDM; (4) the need for reflective practice in a supportive environment; and (5) sustainable and longitudinal integration in education. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first focus group study emphasizing dealing with a changing professional identity as an educational need, besides the need for SDM-related knowledge and skills. Physicians stated that implementing spiral learning is needed at all stages of medical training, aimed at all specialties to foster interprofessional collaboration. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings can support development of future educational SDM interventions, integrating both competence development and professional identity formation. We provide practical recommendations on didactic formats and strategies, hoping to finally reach better implementation of SDM in daily practice.

Physicians found an interactive tool displaying structured evidence summaries for multiple comparisons understandable and useful: a qualitative user testing study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and improve "Making Alternative Treatment Choices Intuitive and Trustworthy" (MATCH-IT)-a digital, interactive decision support tool displaying structured evidence summaries for multiple comparisons-to help physicians interpret and apply evidence from network meta-analysis (NMA) for their clinical decision-making. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a qualitative user testing study, applying principles from user-centered design in an iterative development process. We recruited a convenience sample of practicing physicians in Norway, Belgium, and Canada, and asked them to interpret structured evidence summaries for multiple comparisons-linked to clinical guideline recommendations-displayed in MATCH-IT. User testing included (a) introduction of a clinical scenario, (b) a think-aloud session with participant-tool interaction, and (c) a semistructured interview. We video recorded, transcribed, and analyzed user tests using directed content analysis. The results informed new updates in MATCH-IT. RESULTS: Distributed across 5 development cycles we tested MATCH-IT with 26 physicians. Of these, 24 (94%) reported either no or sparse prior experience with interpretation of NMA. Physicians perceived MATCH-IT as easy to interpret and navigate, and appreciated its ability to provide an overview of the evidence. Visualization of effects in pictograms and inclusion of information on burden of treatment ("practical issues") were highlighted as potentially useful features in interacting with patients. We also identified problems, including undiscovered functionalities (drag and drop), suboptimal tutorial, and cumbersome navigation of the tool. In addition, physicians wanted definition/explanation of key terms (eg, outcomes and "certainty"), and there were concerns that overwhelming evidence from a large NMA would complicate applicability to clinical practice. This led to several updates with development of a new start page, tutorial, updated user interface for more efficient maneuvering, solutions to display definition of key terms and a "frequently asked questions" section. To facilitate interpretation of large networks, we improved categorization of results using color coding and added filtering functionality. These modifications allowed physicians to focus on interventions of interest and reduce information overload. CONCLUSION: This study provides proof of concept that physicians can use MATCH-IT to understand NMA evidence. Key features of MATCH-IT in a clinical context include providing an overview of the evidence, visualization of effects, and the display of information on burden of treatments. However, unfamiliarity with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation concepts, time constraints, and accessibility at the point of care may be challenges for use. To what extent our results are transferable to real-world clinical contexts remains to be explored.

Spirituality in palliative home care: a framework for the clinician.

PURPOSE: Spiritual care at the end of life remains poorly understood despite its promotion by the World Health Organisation. The purpose of this paper was to develop a consensus-based framework of the main elements of spiritual care in palliative home care. METHODS: Expert meeting using the nominal group technique, followed by a two-stage web-based Delphi process, was used. Experts from three stakeholder groups (physicians, professional spiritual care givers and researchers) representing two countries (Belgium and the Netherlands) participated in this study. RESULTS: Fourteen elements of spiritual care were retained: (1) being sensitive to patient's fear of the dying process; (2) listening to the patient's expectations and wishes about the end of life; (3) giving attention to patient's wishes about the design of the farewell; (4) offering rituals if the patient experiences them as meaningful; (5) listening to the stories, dreams and passions of the patient; (6) helping the patient find strength in inner resources; (7) connecting with the patient in truth, openness and honesty; (8) supporting communication and quality of relationships; (9) making sure the patient feels comfortable and safe; (10) seeing spirituality as an interwoven, though specific dimension; (11) caring for your own spirituality; (12) knowing and accepting your vulnerability; (13) being able to learn from your patient; and (14) having an interdisciplinary team that is there when needed. CONCLUSIONS: The experts agreed to the 14 main elements of spiritual care in palliative home care. There were no differences in this regard between the stakeholder groups. This study provides a first step towards the development of an interdisciplinary spiritual care model in palliative home care.