Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The use of facilitators for quality improvement in general practice has accelerated during the past decade. As general practitioners (GPs) or pharmacists have typically been used as facilitators, there is a lack of knowledge of how other professionals function as facilitators. This article explores the experiences and assessments of GPs and nurses participating in a project in which a medical specialist (endocrinologist) acted as a facilitator for quality improvement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study is based on observations of facilitation sessions and interviews with the health professionals (13 GPs, four nurses, one endocrinologist) participating in a facilitation project in the Capital Region of Denmark. RESULTS: The facilitator sessions primarily focused on pharmacological issues related to diabetes treatment. The respondents described the facilitation sessions as a positive and motivating learning experience, and the majority of them were able to point to specific learning outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that for selected medical issues, a trained medical specialist can act as a facilitator in general practice to the satisfaction of GPs and staff. Future studies should assess the clinical effects of such facilitation programmes. FUNDING: This work was funded by the National Board of Health and the Danish Research Foundation for General Practice.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Danish Medical Journal |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Pages (from-to) | A4443 |
| ISSN | 2245-1919 |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
