Objectives: 

The main goal of this project is to come to patient-centred treatments for patients with FD by collaborative care networks. We will make use of a modified Delphi approach, involving patients and professionals from somatic and mental health care, to develop and define the relevant structure and process indicators. We will test barriers in the care as experienced by patients and health care professionals, by the Delphi method and the cross-European survey. We will test a method to come to a matched-care approach that is supported by different health care professionals. This ESR will learn principles of participatory action research: when problems in feasibility are encountered, methods will be adapted and re-evaluated. For large scale dissemination, this ESR will develop a toolbox with general conditions for a collaborative care network for patients with FD.

Expected Results: 

1. Structure and process indicators and for evaluation of quality of health care for FD
2. Report on barriers in care experienced by patients and health care professionals
3. Method to come to matched care approach supported by patients and health care professionals
4. Toolbox to develop collaborative care networks for FD

Planned secondments and research visits: 

1. University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy (Prof. Löwe), Hamburg, Germany; Start: Month 12; Duration: 6 months; Aim: to learn from the German collaborative care network Sofu-Net
2. Proscoop (PSC), Zwolle, Netherlands (Mrs. Huizer); Start: Month 18; Duration: 4 months; Aim: to learn about the formation of collaborative care net-worksideas