title: "They Are Talking About Me, but Not with Me": A Focus Group Study to Explore the Patient Perspective on Interprofessional Team Meetings in Primary Care.
abstract: The number of people with multiple chronic conditions receiving primary care services is growing. To deal with their increasingly complex health care demands, professionals from different disciplines need to collaborate. Interprofessional team (IPT) meetings are becoming more popular. Several studies describe important factors related to conducting IPT meetings, mostly from a professional perspective. However, in the light of patient-centeredness, it is valuable to also explore the patients' perspective.
  
  
  
  The aim was to explore the patients' perspectives regarding IPT meetings in primary care.
  
  
  
  A qualitative study with a focus group design was conducted in the Netherlands. Two focus group meetings took place, for which the same patients were invited. The participants, chronically ill patients with experience on interprofessional collaboration, were recruited through the regional patient association. Participants discussed viewpoints, expectations, and concerns regarding IPT meetings in two rounds, using a focus group protocol and selected video-taped vignettes of team meetings. The first meeting focused on conceptualization and identification of themes related to IPT meetings that are important to patients. The second meeting aimed to gain more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the priorities. Discussions were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by means of content analysis.
  
  
  
  The focus group meetings included seven patients. Findings were divided into six key categories, capturing the factors that patients found important regarding IPT meetings: (1) putting the patient at the center, (2) opportunities for patients to participate, (3) appropriate team composition, (4) structured approach, (5) respectful communication, and (6) informing the patient about meeting outcomes.
  
  
  
  Patients identified different elements regarding IPT meetings that are important from their perspective. They emphasized the right of patients or their representatives to take part in IPT meetings. Results of this study can be used to develop tools and programs to improve interprofessional collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Autonomy and Participation for People with Chronic Illnesses, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6419 DJ, Heerlen, The Netherlands. jerome.vandongen@zuyd.nl.|Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, P. Debyeplein 1, 6229 HA, Maastricht, The Netherlands. jerome.vandongen@zuyd.nl.|Faculty of Health Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6419 DJ, Heerlen, The Netherlands. jerome.vandongen@zuyd.nl.
authors.forename: Jerôme Jean Jacques
authors.initials: JJJ
authors.lastname: van Dongen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Humanities, VU University Medical Center, De Boelenlaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6419 DJ, Heerlen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hester Wilhelmina Henrica
authors.initials: HWH
authors.lastname: Smeets
authors.affiliation: Huis voor de Zorg, Mercator 1, 6130 PD, Sittard, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoffers
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, P. Debyeplein 1, 6229 HA, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marloes Amantia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Bokhoven
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Autonomy and Participation for People with Chronic Illnesses, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6419 DJ, Heerlen, The Netherlands.|Faculty of Health Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6419 DJ, Heerlen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daniëls
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research