Description
The elderly patients constitute a significant proportion of public health care users, as life expectancy grows. The project focuses on shaping proactive attitudes and is meant to seek ways to strengthen them through enhancing doctors’ skills. The targets include establishing the structure of psychosocial needs among the Polish elderly users of public health care, and diagnosing their GPs’ interpersonal competencies and practices promoting active ageing. On the base of these results, the e-learning workshop for doctors will be created. This project will benefit the elderly patients, doctors working with them, and –in a long term perspective- the health care system. The project will provide regular exchange of knowledge and expertise. Mutual cooperation will be strengthened during several workshops in both, Poland and Norway as well as consultation visits for both partners. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology provides expertise in large health promotion programmes and their implementation. The Medical University of Warsaw grants knowledge about Polish health care system and experience in conducting clinical studies.
Summary of project results
The PRACTA project responded to challenges resulting from demographic changes and calling for actions aimed at the older people activation. The project aimed at recognition of seniors’ medical appointment-related and communicational expectations, their satisfaction by GPs and enhancing GPs’ psychosocial competences in seniors’ activation. Within the project the following outputs were delivered: two sets of questionnaires measuring the study variables designed for doctors and patients; two-wave examination of GPs and their patients allowing for getting scores from 393 followed up GPs and 8960 patients; elaboration of the PRACTA intervention in the forms of e-learning and pdf article; implementation of the PRACTA intervention among GPs and its evaluation; publication of the PRACTA e-learning in a form of CD; seminars presenting the project among medical doctors, researchers, students, professionals dealing with senior care and senior policy, and seniors; presentations at international and local scientific conferences; publications in international peer reviewed journals. Owing to the PRACTA project it was possible: From the doctors’ perspective: to enrich the range of continuing education for doctors with the PRACTA educational training; using the above method to train the first group of GPs and therefore to increase doctors’ interpersonal competencies in communication with and activation of senior patients; to start the process of helping the doctors to become a leading professional group creating a positive and proactive attitude toward ageing From the elderly patients’ perspective: to increase the possibilities of active and partnership-based participation in treatment, health promotion and changes in lifestyle delivered by GPs; to prepare easy to use during the medical appointment guides for senior patients in order to increase their sense of responsibility and engagement in pro-health activities. From the perspective of institutions: to start the process of diagnosing of the effectiveness of primary health care facilities in activation of the elderly patients; to improve the assessment of the quality of medical consultations with elderly patients in terms of fulfilment of their expectations and the level of activation. In the future it will be possible to use the findings from the project in order to intentionally model the environment to make it more friendly for both the senior patient and the doctor.
Summary of bilateral results
The PRACTA project assumed strong bilateral cooperation at all stages of the project. It encompassed a number of two or three day workshops in Poland and visits in Norway aimed at preparation of questionnaires, discussions on the results of statistical analyses, elaboration of the PRACTA educational intervention, and preparation of common publications. These activities allowed for the effective exchange of knowledge and experiences and the achievement of satisfactory outcomes scheduled for each stage of the project. This in turn enabled to keep systematic progress in the project realisation. This was possible due to significant improvement in mutual understanding and cooperation which occurred during the course of the project. Very good bilateral relations were very helpful also at those stages of the project when some complications and obstacles appeared. Due to very good cooperation and knowledge exchange it was easier to find corrective actions and proper solutions. This allowed to achieve all assumed objectives of the project within extended time of its realisation. Finally, seven joint papers were prepared and submitted to the international peer reviewed journals. Additionally, a number of joint presentations delivered at international and local conferences were prepared and the PRACTA e-learning was published (in Polish) in a form of CD. The PRACTA project benefited very much from bilateral funds and at the same time it contributed to strengthening of bilateral relations. Resulting from this Polish-Norwegian collaboration, new relationships have been established in a form of further cooperation on cancer patients and adolescents. It is also very likely that the next common projects will be developed commonly.