General Practitioners' Perceptions of Patient Involvement—An Interview Study

Abstract

Rationale and Aim

General practitioners (GPs) play an increasingly important role in the healthcare system, wherein patient involvement is a key element in delivering individualized and tailored treatment. This study aimed to explore GPs' perceptions of user involvement and their considered challenges and opportunities regarding user involvement.

Methods

A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted. The approach was inductive and open, and data were analysed thematically. Twelve GPs were recruited through snowball sampling and individually interviewed in March–April 2021.

Results

Six themes were generated: Relation and knowledge; Negotiation; Compliance; Information, communication and dialog; Time and process; and GPs' considerations of involvement. The GPs described a plethora of tools and strategies to shape their relationship with the patient, individually inform the patient, and negotiate their power to achieve compliance and, thus, the best treatment for the patient.

Conclusion

GPs consider patient involvement equal to information as a means to compliance to some extent, but they also consider information and compliance interdependent. However, patient involvement is challenging for the GPs when the patient is misinformed or when the GP's current status is poor.