Abstract
BackgroundPeople with intellectual disability (ID) expressed dissatisfaction with doctor-patient communication and mentioned certain preferences for this communication (our research). Since many people with ID in the Netherlands have recently moved from residential care facilities to supported accommodations in the community, medical care for them was transferred from ID physicians (IDPs) to general practitioners (GPs) in the vicinity of the new accommodation. We addressed the following research question: 'What are the similarities and differences between the communication preferences of people with ID and the professional criteria for doctor-patient communication by GPs?'MethodsA focus group meeting and interviews were used to identify the preferences of 12 persons with ID for good communication with their GP; these were compared with communication criteria used to assess trainee GPs, as described in the MAAS-Global manual.ResultsEight preferences for doctor-patient communication were formulated by the people with ID. Six of them matched the criteria used for GPs. Improvements are required as regards the time available for consultation, demonstrating physical examinations before applying them and triadic communication.ConclusionsPeople with ID hold strong views on communication with their doctors during consultations. GPs, people with ID and their support workers can further fine-tune their communication skills.
Highlights
Recommendations for communication should be implemented by all intellectual disability (ID) health care workers as well as to people with ID
The medical care for these people has been transferred from the general practitioner (GP) or ID physician (IDP) connected to the residential care facility to local general practitioners (GPs)
During our work with GPs to establish a Transfer of Care Guideline [11], and during the development of an individual post-graduate education programme for ID care [12], we found that GPs did not want a paragraph about communication criteria for patients with ID to be included in these documents
Summary
Since many people with ID in the Netherlands have recently moved from residential care facilities to supported accommodations in the community, medical care for them was transferred from ID physicians (IDPs) to general practitioners (GPs) in the vicinity of the new accommodation. Thousands of people with intellectual disability (ID) in the Netherlands have moved from residential care facilities to supported accommodations in the community [1]. These are mainly persons with mild to moderate levels of ID, but people with profound to severe ID are living in the community [2]. By including individualisation and participation in the community as the guiding principles in care provision, GPs are expected to take on more responsibility for the health of people with ID, but are unprepared for this increasing task
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