Quality indicators for collaborative care networks in persistent somatic symptoms and functional disorders: a...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality
• Multidisciplinary Care
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Care for persistent somatic symptoms and functional disorders (PSS/FD) is often fragmented.
• Collaborative care networks (CCNs) show potential for improving PSS/FD care quality.
• A system for evaluating CCN functioning is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop quality indicators for evaluating CCNs in PSS/FD care.
• To establish a framework for assessing the effectiveness of CCNs.
• To enhance the quality of care for patients with PSS/FD.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi process was employed with an expert panel.
• 86 diverse healthcare professionals participated in three online rounds.
• Quality indicators were generated, selected, and ranked by experts.

Main Results:

• The expert panel identified 46 unique quality indicators.
• A final top ten quality indicators were ranked.
• Key indicators include "shared vision of care for PSS/FD," "pathways tailored to the individual patient," and "sufficiently-experienced caregivers for PSS/FD."

Conclusions:

• The developed quality indicators are suitable for clinical implementation.
• These indicators can aid in improving PSS/FD services.
• The indicators may be valuable for assessing the effectiveness of CCNs.