Abstract
Introduction: Primary care in the Netherlands faces major challenges. Health problems are becoming more complex and care is preferably provided in one's own environment. Application of the concept of Positive Health reveals that non-medical care is sometimes the better option. The aim is for people to be self-reliant, if required in collaboration with informal caregivers or applicable citizen initiatives. We call it collaborative self-reliance. These challenges require reorganization towards a health care system in which citizens, health- and welfare professionals and policy makers collaborate. Such collaboration requires mutual understanding of professionally used terms and concepts, a condition that is often overlooked.
Aim and Methods: The aim was to develop a method for mutual understanding that can facilitate the development of cross-domain collaborative care networks. Ten experts were included based on their experience with collaborative care networks including citizen initiatives. They represented the citizen, healthcare, welfare and policy domain. Four online meetings were organized, interspersed with feedback loops. The process of development of a framework of common terms and concepts was completed and monitored at the same time. In co-creation the researchers and expert group developed a method that is helpful in arriving at mutual understanding and an exemplary framework of common terms and concepts.
Results: The online meetings were experienced as very inspiring and enriching by all participants. The process has resulted in the Mutual Understanding Method in which 6 steps have been identified: Determining the goal; Choosing terms and concepts; Giving meaning to terms and concepts; Establish definitions; Implementation and Evaluation. Each step has its own objective and approach. Because concept formation takes place in co-creation with those involved in the collaborative care networks, concepts are constantly tested against practice and implementation and evaluation are an ongoing process. It is not a linear, but an iterative process. The formation of a conceptual framework is context-specific and therefore dependent on the theme for which the collaboration is being set up and which parties are involved in it.
Conclusion: The Mutual Understanding Method is expected to be helpful in the development of mutual understanding in the development of cross-domain collaborative care networks. Due to context specificity, it is difficult to achieve a generally applicable framework of common terms and concepts.
Implications: It is recommended to invest in this process of mutual understanding when starting the network. Because the Method must be accessible and comprehensible for everyone involved in the formation collaborative care networks, the method is currently being tested in practice in the process of development of three collaborative care networks.