Development and contextual analysis of a person-centered professional practice model in a home care service in...

The Swiss healthcare system faces increasing challenges with an aging population and rising prevalence of chronic conditions, necessitating better-coordinated care delivery, particularly in home care settings.

This study aimed to develop (objective 1) and conduct a contextual analysis for implementation (objective 2) of a person-centered professional practice model for home care services in French-speaking Switzerland.

A multi-method approach was used. For objective 1, concept mapping with 157 healthcare professionals (86% response rate) was conducted to develop the model. For objective 2, a contextual analysis was guided by the Intervention Mapping framework, involving focus groups with stakeholders (n = 14) and field validation with frontline staff (n = 6). Data analysis included both quantitative and qualitative methods.

The concept mapping process identified 13 core values rated on importance (scale 1-5), with health promotion scoring highest (4.4) and interprofessionalism lowest (3.7). Implementation analysis revealed key facilitators including leadership support (83% agreement) and barriers such as linguistic/cultural differences. Eight implementation strategies were identified and validated through a Delphi process, including continuous training (67% strong agreement) and safety culture promotion (83% strong agreement).

The study demonstrates that developing and implementing a person-centered professional practice model is feasible in home care settings when supported by strong leadership commitment and structured implementation strategies. The model's alignment with the Person-centred Practice Framework of McCance and McCormack provides theoretical validation while offering practical guidance for implementation.