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Shifting care from hospital to home: a qualitative study

Kristel De Vliegher PhD researcher, University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Bert Aertgeerts Professor, University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Anja Declercq Professor, University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Koen Milisen Professor, University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Walter Sermeus Professor, University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Philip Moons Professor, University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Kristel De Vliegher and colleagues explain how relocating healthcare services for people with complex conditions can affect the staff involved

A study was undertaken to understand how primary healthcare professionals and hospital healthcare workers in Belgium are experiencing the shift in technical and complex care from hospital to home.

A qualitative study of in-depth interviews and focus groups with home nurses, medical specialists and GPs was carried out. The content analysis identified three important concepts: a clear definition of ‘technical’ and ‘complex’ interventions is needed; more technical and complex nursing care is shifting from hospital to home; and financial and organisational barriers need to be breached to better prepare workers for this growing trend in home care. Emerging significant challenges to home nursing may be mitigated by increasing multidisciplinary collaboration, strengthening shared care and responsibility, and co-ordinating the healthcare worker’s daily practice with an adequate reimbursement system.

Primary Health Care. 25, 9, 26-33. doi: 10.7748/phc.25.9.26.s28

Correspondence

kristel.devliegher@med.kuleuven.be

Peer review

This article has been subject to double-blind peer review and checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 21 January 2015

Accepted: 16 April 2015

Keywords :

Chronic care - complex care - primary care - community nursing - home nursing - technical interventions

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30 October 2015 / Vol 25 issue 9

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