Physicians' view of primary care-based case management for patients with heart failure: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: As part of a trial aiming to improve care for patients with chronic (systolic) heart failure, a standardized, multifaceted case management approach was evaluated in German general practices. It consisted of regular telephone monitoring, home visits, health counselling, diagnostic screening and booklets for patients. Practice-based doctors' assistants (equivalent to a nursing role) adopted these new tasks and reported regularly to the employing general practitioner (GP). OBJECTIVE: To explore GPs' perceptions of case management, subsequent changes in relationships within the practice team and the potential future role. METHOD: Twenty-four GPs participated in five moderated, semi-structured, audio-taped focus groups. Full transcription and thematic content analysis was undertaken. RESULTS: GPs rated all elements and instruments of case management conducted by doctors' assistants feasible, except for the geriatric assessment as patients had not been at risk. GPs perceived difficulties in their own role in delivering health behaviour counselling. Relationships between doctors' assistants and patients and between GPs and patients or doctors' assistants remained stable or improved. All GPs perceived a variety of role changes in doctors' assistants including more in-depth medical knowledge and higher responsibilities yielding more recognition by patients and GPs. Some GPs suggested transferring the case management programme to other chronic conditions and that it should form part of a further education curriculum for doctors' assistants. CONCLUSION: This primary care-based case management model characterized by the orchestrated delegation of tasks to doctors' assistants offers a promising strategy of enhanced chronic illness care, but it needs further adaptation and evaluation.

Doctors' assistants' views of case management to improve chronic heart failure care in general practice: a qualitative study.

AIM: This paper is a report of a study to explore the views, concerns and experiences of doctors' assistants of case management for patients with chronic heart failure, while experiencing the new role of being a case manager within the Heidelberg Integrated Case Management trial. BACKGROUND: Case management is being investigated as part of a randomised controlled trial aiming to improve care for patients with chronic systolic heart failure. In a complex, multifaceted intervention, trained doctors' assistants (equivalent to a nursing role) adopted new tasks using standardised case management involving telephone monitoring, home visits and diagnostic screening. METHOD: In April 2007, 3 months after implementation of the intervention programme, 27 doctors' assistants participated in four focus group interviews discussing their views on, and experiences of, case management. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. FINDINGS: Participants believed that the most positive factors in case management were about interaction with patients, including opportunities for identifying disease and psychosocial problems. However, barriers included lack of time allocated to perform case management in addition to their normal role and poor cooperation within the practice team. According to the doctors' assistants, the routine implementation of case management was acceptable, feasible and effective in improving the management of patients with chronic systolic heart failure. CONCLUSION: Case management enhanced the role of doctors' assistants, leading to increased awareness of the perspective of patients with chronic disease. In the wider international primary care practice nursing context, the orchestrated delegation of tasks using specific case management may be a promising strategy for improving the quality of care of chronically ill patients and enabling patient self-management.