Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe patient has a lot to say about the quality of primary health care if the structure allows the patient to speak freely.

OBJECTIVE: The study of care trajectories of psychiatric patients across hospitals was previously not possible in Belgium as each hospital stores its data autonomously, and government-related registrations do not contain a unique identifier or are incomplete. A new longitudinal database called iPSYcare (Improved Psychiatric Care and Research) was therefore constructed in 2021, and links the electronic medical records of patients in psychiatric units of eight hospitals in the Antwerp Province, Belgium. The database provides a wide range of information on patients, care trajectories and delivered care in the region. In a first phase, the database will only contain information about adult patients who were admitted to a hospital or treated by an outreach team and who gave explicit consent. In the future, the database may be expanded to other regions and additional data on outpatient care may be added. RESULTS: IPSYcare is a close collaboration between the University of Antwerp and hospitals in the province of Antwerp. This paper describes the development of the database, how privacy and ethical issues will be handled, and how the governance of the database will be organized.

In this 30th edition of the Yearbook on Poverty and Social Exclusion, we look back on 30 years of fighting poverty. How have the poverty figures evolved? We take a closer look at access to justice, education and housing. Next, we are looking for an answer to the question of what constitutes a structural poverty policy. Can the law be of any significance here? This year's theme section is dedicated to the coronapandemic and its link to poverty. Subsequently, a number of civil society organisations are given a chance to express their expertise and findings. In a final section, the Yearbook presents an overview of figures on poverty and social exclusion.

Abstract Background Quality is on the agenda of European general practice (GP). European researchers have, in collaboration, developed tools to assess quality of GPs. In this feasibility study, we tested the European Practice Assessment (EPA) in a one-off project in Belgium, where general practice has a low level of GP organisation. Methods A framework for feasibility analysis included describing the recruiting of participants, a brief telephone study survey among non-responders, organisational and logistic problems. Using field notes and focus groups, we studied the participants' opinions. Results In this study, only 36 of 1000 invited practices agreed to participate. Co-ordination, administrative work, practice visits and organisational problems required several days per practice. The researchers further encountered technical problems, for instance when entering the data and uploading to the web-based server. In subsequent qualitative analysis using two focus groups, most participant GPs expressed a positive feeling after the EPA procedure. In the short period of follow-up, only a few GPs reported improvements after the visit. The participant GPs suggested that follow-up and coaching would probably facilitate the implementation of changes. Conclusion This feasibility study shows that prior interest in EPA is low in the GP community. We encountered a number of logistic and organisational problems. It proved attractive to participants, but it can be augmented by coaching of participants in more than a one-off project to identify and achieve targets for quality improvement. In the absence of commitment of the government, a network of universities and one scientific organisation will offer EPA as a service to training practices.

Background: Quality is on the agenda of European general practice (GP). European researchers have, in collaboration, developed tools to assess quality of GPs. In this feasibility study, we tested the European Practice Assessment (EPA) in a one-off project in Belgium, where general practice has a low level of GP organisation. Methods: A framework for feasibility analysis included describing the recruiting of participants, a brief telephone study survey among non-responders, organisational and logistic problems. Using field notes and focus groups, we studied the participants' opinions. Results: In this study, only 36 of 1000 invited practices agreed to participate. Co-ordination, administrative work, practice visits and organisational problems required several days per practice. The researchers further encountered technical problems, for instance when entering the data and uploading to the web-based server. In subsequent qualitative analysis using two focus groups, most participant GPs expressed a positive feeling after the EPA procedure. In the short period of follow-up, only a few GPs reported improvements after the visit. The participant GPs suggested that follow-up and coaching would probably facilitate the implementation of changes. Conclusion: This feasibility study shows that prior interest in EPA is low in the GP community. We encountered a number of logistic and organisational problems. It proved attractive to participants, but it can be augmented by coaching of participants in more than a one-off project to identify and achieve targets for quality improvement. In the absence of commitment of the government, a network of universities and one scientific organisation will offer EPA as a service to training practices.

Background: Quality is on the agenda of European general practice (GP). European researchers have, in collaboration, developed tools to assess quality of GPs. In this feasibility study, we tested the European Practice Assessment (EPA) in a one-off project in Belgium, where general practice has a low level of GP organisation. Methods: A framework for feasibility analysis included describing the recruiting of participants, a brief telephone study survey among non-responders, organisational and logistic problems. Using field notes and focus groups, we studied the participants' opinions. Results: In this study, only 36 of 1000 invited practices agreed to participate. Co-ordination, administrative work, practice visits and organisational problems required several days per practice. The researchers further encountered technical problems, for instance when entering the data and uploading to the web-based server. In subsequent qualitative analysis using two focus groups, most participant GPs expressed a positive feeling after the EPA procedure. In the short period of follow-up, only a few GPs reported improvements after the visit. The participant GPs suggested that follow-up and coaching would probably facilitate the implementation of changes. Conclusion: This feasibility study shows that prior interest in EPA is low in the GP community. We encountered a number of logistic and organisational problems. It proved attractive to participants, but it can be augmented by coaching of participants in more than a one-off project to identify and achieve targets for quality improvement. In the absence of commitment of the government, a network of universities and one scientific organisation will offer EPA as a service to training practices.

Abstract Background In recent years , red yeast rice (RYR) supplements have been marketed aggressively as a natural way to lower cholesterol; however, the large majority of commercially available products have not been studied according to current research standards. Methods In a double blind placebo controlled randomized trial, 52 physicians and their spouses with a total cholesterol level of > 200 mg/dL were randomly allocated to receive a RYR extract or placebo for 8 weeks. As a primary outcome measure, we compared the before-after difference in lipid levels between both groups. As secondary outcome measures we looked at side-effects, CK elevation and a change in cardiovascular risk. Results LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol was lowered with 36 mg/dL (22%) and total cholesterol with 37 mg/dL (15%) in the intervention group. This result was statistically significant as compared to the control group, in which no reduction in total cholesterol and LDL was observed (p < 0.001). There was no marked difference in CK (creatine kinase)-elevation or reported side-effects between study groups. In 5/31 participants in the intervention group, the lipid lowering effect resulted in lower cardiovascular risk as measured with SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation). Conclusions The RYR formulation under study was effective in lowering cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in this study population. RYR therapy may be an attractive and relatively well studied alternative in patients who are intolerant for statins or who have objections against pharmacological lipid lowering. However, consumers need to be warned that the actual content of commercially available preparations is not assured by governmental regulations, which raises effectiveness and safety issues. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, nr: NCT01558050

BACKGROUND: Despite being a key player in the healthcare system, training and practising general practice has become less attractive in many countries and is in need of reform. AIM: To identify political priorities for improving GPs' attraction to the profession and their retention within it. DESIGN AND SETTING: Stakeholder face-to-face survey in Belgium, 2008. METHOD: A total of 102 key stakeholders were recruited from policymakers, professional groups, academia, GP leaders, and the media. All interviewees were asked to score 23 policies on four criteria: effectiveness in attracting and retaining GPs, cost to society, acceptance by other health professionals, and accessibility of care. An overall performance score was computed (from -3 to +3) for each type of policy - training, financing, work-life balance, practice organisation, and governance - and for innovative versus conservative policies. RESULTS: Practice organisation policies and training policies received the highest scores (mean score ≥ 1.11). Financing policies, governance, and work-life balance policies scored poorly (mean score ≤ 0.65) because they had negative effects, particularly in relation to cost, acceptance, and accessibility of care. Stakeholders were keen on moving GPs towards team work, improving their role as care coordinator, and helping them to offload administrative tasks (score ≥ 1.4). They also favoured moves to increase the early and integrated exposure of all medical students to general practice. Overall, conservative policies were better scored than innovative ones (beta = -0.16, 95% confidence interval = -0.28 to -0.03). CONCLUSION:The reforming of general practice is made difficult by the small-step approach, as well as the importance of decision criteria related to cost, acceptance, and access.

BACKGROUND: Despite being a key player in the healthcare system, training and practising general practice has become less attractive in many countries and is in need of reform. AIM: To identify political priorities for improving GPs' attraction to the profession and their retention within it. DESIGN AND SETTING: Stakeholder face-to-face survey in Belgium, 2008. METHOD: A total of 102 key stakeholders were recruited from policymakers, professional groups, academia, GP leaders, and the media. All interviewees were asked to score 23 policies on four criteria: effectiveness in attracting and retaining GPs, cost to society, acceptance by other health professionals, and accessibility of care. An overall performance score was computed (from -3 to +3) for each type of policy - training, financing, work-life balance, practice organisation, and governance - and for innovative versus conservative policies. RESULTS: Practice organisation policies and training policies received the highest scores (mean score ≥ 1.11). Financing policies, governance, and work-life balance policies scored poorly (mean score ≤ 0.65) because they had negative effects, particularly in relation to cost, acceptance, and accessibility of care. Stakeholders were keen on moving GPs towards team work, improving their role as care coordinator, and helping them to offload administrative tasks (score ≥ 1.4). They also favoured moves to increase the early and integrated exposure of all medical students to general practice. Overall, conservative policies were better scored than innovative ones (beta = -0.16, 95% confidence interval = -0.28 to -0.03). CONCLUSION:The reforming of general practice is made difficult by the small-step approach, as well as the importance of decision criteria related to cost, acceptance, and access.

Visiting nature is positively associated with physical and mental well-being. The role of nature became more pronounced during the coronavirus outbreak in the spring of 2020. Countries all over the world implemented confinement measures to reduce the transmission of the virus. These included but were not limited to the cancelation of public events, schools, and non-essential businesses and the prohibition of non-essential travels. However, going outside to exercise was recommended by the Belgian government. During this period, we conducted an online survey to determine if people visit nature more frequently than before and to identify the factors that contribute to this. The results are based on data from 11,352 participants in Flanders, Belgium. With the use of a bivariate and multiple regression analysis, results indicate that people visit nature more frequently than before and that nature helped to maintain social relationships during the coronavirus period. Gardens were reported to be the most popular place, followed by parks. More than half of the people experienced nature in a more positive way, and the belief that nature visits are important for general health increased. In addition, we found a positive association between nature visits and home satisfaction, as well as a positive association with subjective mental and physical health. Lastly, we identified several demographic factors contributing to the frequency of nature visits such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate the importance of nature visits for general well-being and highlight the need for nearby green infrastructure.

A study involving the presentation of 192 Belgian or Finnish prescriptions in pharmacies in five other member states was undertaken to assess whether, as envisaged by European Union law, prescriptions issued in one member state are recognized by pharmacists in another and to identify factors that influence such decisions. Overall, pharmacists were willing to dispense in 108 cases. Detailed results show important differences depending on the country where prescriptions are presented and whether prescriptions were written by INN and in English, as opposed to prescriptions written by brand in a national language.

INTRODUCTION The Belgian government Integreo program (www.integreo.be) aims at a nationwide whole-system change in health and social care towards more Integrated Care (IC), by means of geographically defined integrated care projects (ICPs). Starting in early 2018, the twelve ICPs are implementing their action plan to change the organization of their regional network, covering up to 150.000 inhabitants, towards more IC. They receive limited financing: one FTE coordinator. As the final goal of the national plan is to anchor successful changes and scale-up best practices, FAITH.be (Federated consortium for Appraisal of Integrated care Teams in Health in Belgium) developed a mixed methods realist evaluation framework which aims at responding to the questions if, how, for whom and why the implementation of the ICP is successful or not so far, and learn lessons to help the ICPs to adjust their governance to support successful implementation of a whole-system change in their region. We will present preliminary insights of the implementation analysis, describing the main difficulties ICPs struggle with and how they address them. THEORY/METHODS We use participative action and realist methods following RAMESES II standards (http://www.ramesesproject.org/). Data collection tools are chosen in consultation with stakeholders: coordinators, partners of and policy makers. Intermediate results are fed back and discussed with the stakeholders. Two methods are combined: qualitative enquiry for all ICPs and case study methods for three selected ICPs. Normalization Process Theory (NPT) (1) is chosen to guide the analysis. RESULTS First observations show that ICPs struggle with divergence in vision about priorities and timelines between ICPs, Governmental agencies at both federal and regional level. After postponement of crucial policy decisions and delivery of promised ICT-tools, ICPs are forced to adapt their action plan, which impedes their coherence. Moreover, due to the limited financing, ICPs are expected to pre-finance their actions towards IC, which impedes the involvement of key stakeholders, such as GPs' and social care workers' organisations and raises tensions between care providers, e.g. working in a fee-for service system versus those working in bundled payment systems. Hence, this hinders collective action and participation. DISCUSSION These preliminary results will be further discussed and extended with the stakeholders. By the time of the conference, we will present the main issues for each social mechanism as described by NPT and explain why, how and for whom these difficulties occur and describe observed strategies to cope with them. CONCLUSIONS First results show how the divergence of visions between policy makers and stakeholders in ICPs, hinder ICPs to implement innovative actions towards IC. LESSONS LEARNED Even though co-creation is considered an important pillar of the Integreo Plan, the lack of convergence of visions between policy agencies and ICPs hinders the implementation of innovative actions towards IC. LIMITATIONS The results only reflect the views of ICPs, not the policy makers. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH The results of the implementation analysis will be linked to the outcome and cost analysis of the ICPs (see: https://interfaithbel.blog/methodological-information/). 1. Murray E, Treweek S, Pope C, MacFarlane A, Ballini L, Dowrick C, et al. Normalisation process theory: a framework for developing, evaluating and implementing complex interventions. BMC medicine. 2010;8:63.

INTRODUCTION The Belgian government Integreo program (www.integreo.be) aims at a nationwide whole-system change in health and social care towards more Integrated Care (IC), by means of geographically defined integrated care projects (ICPs). Starting in early 2018, the twelve ICPs are implementing their action plan to change the organization of their regional network, covering up to 150.000 inhabitants, towards more IC. They receive limited financing: one FTE coordinator. As the final goal of the national plan is to anchor successful changes and scale-up best practices, FAITH.be (Federated consortium for Appraisal of Integrated care Teams in Health in Belgium) developed a mixed methods realist evaluation framework which aims at responding to the questions if, how, for whom and why the implementation of the ICP is successful or not so far, and learn lessons to help the ICPs to adjust their governance to support successful implementation of a whole-system change in their region. We will present preliminary insights of the implementation analysis, describing the main difficulties ICPs struggle with and how they address them. THEORY/METHODS We use participative action and realist methods following RAMESES II standards (http://www.ramesesproject.org/). Data collection tools are chosen in consultation with stakeholders: coordinators, partners of and policy makers. Intermediate results are fed back and discussed with the stakeholders. Two methods are combined: qualitative enquiry for all ICPs and case study methods for three selected ICPs. Normalization Process Theory (NPT) (1) is chosen to guide the analysis. RESULTS First observations show that ICPs struggle with divergence in vision about priorities and timelines between ICPs, Governmental agencies at both federal and regional level. After postponement of crucial policy decisions and delivery of promised ICT-tools, ICPs are forced to adapt their action plan, which impedes their coherence. Moreover, due to the limited financing, ICPs are expected to pre-finance their actions towards IC, which impedes the involvement of key stakeholders, such as GPs' and social care workers' organisations and raises tensions between care providers, e.g. working in a fee-for service system versus those working in bundled payment systems. Hence, this hinders collective action and participation. DISCUSSION These preliminary results will be further discussed and extended with the stakeholders. By the time of the conference, we will present the main issues for each social mechanism as described by NPT and explain why, how and for whom these difficulties occur and describe observed strategies to cope with them. CONCLUSIONS First results show how the divergence of visions between policy makers and stakeholders in ICPs, hinder ICPs to implement innovative actions towards IC. LESSONS LEARNED Even though co-creation is considered an important pillar of the Integreo Plan, the lack of convergence of visions between policy agencies and ICPs hinders the implementation of innovative actions towards IC. LIMITATIONS The results only reflect the views of ICPs, not the policy makers. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH The results of the implementation analysis will be linked to the outcome and cost analysis of the ICPs (see: https://interfaithbel.blog/methodological-information/). 1. Murray E, Treweek S, Pope C, MacFarlane A, Ballini L, Dowrick C, et al. Normalisation process theory: a framework for developing, evaluating and implementing complex interventions. BMC medicine. 2010;8:63.

Introduction: Continuity of care is essential when trying to avoid untimely institutionalization of the frail elderly. Either continuously or occasionally, multiple care providers are involved in the integrated care for a community-dwelling frail older person. In this coming and going of care providers over time, the informal caregiver usually remains the constant factor. In 2009 the Belgian Federal Government launched a call for innovative projects that aim at maintaining the community-dwelling frail elderly at home for as long as possible. That call resulted in 66 projects that offer a variety of innovative interventions. Aims: The aim of this study is to describe to what extent these projects involve the informal caregivers in the organization of care for the frail elderly. Methods: Data are collected through the projects initial application files, yearly questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. We performed a descriptive analysis of the data and compared subgroups of projects based on the type of interventions. Results: First results show that in most projects involvement of the informal caregiver in the care process is not well established. A minority of projects describe how they plan to implement caregiver involvement in their application files. Caregiver involvement mainly occurs sporadically, when important decisions about an individual client have to be made. Conclusion: The projects lack a structured approach to implement informal caregiver involvement in the care process of frail elderly.

Introduction: Continuity of care is essential when trying to avoid untimely institutionalization of the frail elderly. Either continuously or occasionally, multiple care providers are involved in the integrated care for a community-dwelling frail older person. In this coming and going of care providers over time, the informal caregiver usually remains the constant factor. In 2009 the Belgian Federal Government launched a call for innovative projects that aim at maintaining the community-dwelling frail elderly at home for as long as possible. That call resulted in 66 projects that offer a variety of innovative interventions. Aims: The aim of this study is to describe to what extent these projects involve the informal caregivers in the organization of care for the frail elderly. Methods: Data are collected through the projects initial application files, yearly questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. We performed a descriptive analysis of the data and compared subgroups of projects based on the type of interventions. Results: First results show that in most projects involvement of the informal caregiver in the care process is not well established. A minority of projects describe how they plan to implement caregiver involvement in their application files. Caregiver involvement mainly occurs sporadically, when important decisions about an individual client have to be made. Conclusion: The projects lack a structured approach to implement informal caregiver involvement in the care process of frail elderly.