Low back pain is a major health problem in primary care and is associated with a substantial clinical, economic, and societal burden. Although evidence-based recommendations are available, its management remains heterogeneous, poorly coordinated, and often characterized by overmedicalization. In this context, interprofessional collaboration has been identified as a means of improving primary care but does not necessarily ensure a shared understanding of clinical situations. Collaborative Clinical Reasoning (CCR), defined as the process of developing a shared mental model among healthcare professionals and patient partners, remains insufficiently explored in primary care. This exploratory qualitative study aims to explore the representations and definitions of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning among general practitioners, physiotherapists, and patient partners with low back pain in French-speaking Belgium. It also aims to examine how CCR is implemented in primary care practice and to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to its implementation. Data will be collected through separate focus groups involving general practitioners, physiotherapists, and patient partners with low back pain. Qualitative data will be analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
225
General practitioners, physiotherapists, and patients will first participate in separate focus groups for each stakeholder group. A subsequent mixed deliberative workshop will bring together participants from the three stakeholder groups to discuss and refine the findings.
UCLouvain - Institute of Health and Society (IRSS)
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Brussels Capital, Belgium
RECRUITINGParticipants' representations and definitions of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning, identified through reflexive thematic analysis.
Participants' representations and definitions of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning will be explored through qualitative data collected during separate focus groups with general practitioners, physiotherapists, and patients with non-specific low back pain, as well as during a subsequent deliberative workshop bringing together these three participant groups.
Time frame: From the initial focus groups to the subsequent deliberative workshop, over an estimated 15-month data collection period.
Enactment of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning in primary care practice, identified through reflexive thematic analysis.
The enactment of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning in primary care practice will be explored through qualitative data collected during separate focus groups with general practitioners, physiotherapists, and patients with non-specific low back pain, as well as during a subsequent deliberative workshop bringing together these three participant groups.
Time frame: From the initial focus groups to the subsequent deliberative workshop, over an estimated 15-month data collection period.
Barriers and facilitators to the enactment of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning in primary care practice, identified through reflexive thematic analysis.
Barriers and facilitators influencing the enactment of Collaborative Clinical Reasoning in primary care practice will be explored through qualitative data collected during separate focus groups with general practitioners, physiotherapists, and patients with non-specific low back pain, as well as during a subsequent deliberative workshop bringing together these three participant groups.
Time frame: From the initial focus groups to the subsequent deliberative workshop, over an estimated 15-month data collection period.
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