Local General Practitioner-Parish Minister Networks for Existential Care in Danish Primary Care-What Did We Learn? A...

Area of Science:

• Primary Care
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Existential Support

Background:

• Limited evidence exists on practitioner experiences with local networks between General Practitioners (GPs) and Parish Ministers (PMs) in Denmark.
• These networks aim to improve existential and spiritual support within primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of GPs and PMs involved in locally established interdisciplinary networks.
• To understand the dynamics and outcomes of collaboration between healthcare and spiritual care providers.

Main Methods:

• A phenomenological hermeneutical framework was employed.
• Five focus group interviews were conducted with 5 GPs and 9 PMs across four Danish localities.
• Data analysis involved a three-level process: naïve reading, structural analysis, and critical interpretation.

Main Results:

• Collaboration was perceived as an educational, relationship-building process requiring time and trust.
• Key themes included sharpening professional identity, dismantling mutual prejudices, and better serving patient perspectives.
• The potential complementarity of PMs within primary care, while maintaining role clarity and confidentiality, was discussed.

Conclusions:

• Locally developed GP-PM networks offer a practical approach to addressing patients' existential concerns.
• Relationship-building and early patient involvement are crucial for successful collaboration.
• Future research should focus on patient outcomes and sustainable collaboration models.