Introduction: With a shift in healthcare from diagnosis-centered to human- and interprofessional-centered work, allied health professionals (AHPs) may encounter dilemmas in daily work because of discrepancies between values of learned professional protocols and their personal values, the latter being a component of the personal dimension. The personal dimension can be defined as a set of personal components that have a substantial impact on professional identity. In this study, we aim to improve the understanding of the role played by the personal dimension, by answering the following research question: What is known about the personal dimension of the professional identity of AHPs in (allied) health literature? Methods: In the scoping review, databases, CINAHL, ERIC, Medline, PubMed, and PsychINFO were searched for studies focusing on what is regarded as ‘the personal dimension of professional identity’ of AHPs in the health literature; 81 out of 815 articles were included and analyzed in this scoping review. A varying degree of attention for the personal dimension within the various allied health professions was observed. Result: After analysis, we introduce the concept of four aspects in the personal dimension of AHPs. We explain how these aspects overlap to some degree and feed into each other. The first aspect encompasses characteristics like gender, age, nationality, and ethnicity. The second aspect consists of the life experiences of the professional. The third involves character traits related to resilience and virtues. The fourth aspect, worldview, is formed by the first three aspects and consists of the core beliefs and values of AHPs, paired with personal norms. Discussion: These four aspects are visualized in a conceptual model that aims to make AHPs more aware of their own personal dimension, as well as the personal dimension of their colleagues intra- and interprofessionally. It is recommended that more research be carried out to examine how the personal dimension affects allied health practice.
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Objective: To report the study protocol and baseline characteristics of a prospective cohort study to evaluate longitudinal recovery trajectories of patients recovering from COVID-19 who have visited a primary care allied health professional. Design: Report of the protocol and baseline characteristics for a prospective cohort study with a mixed-methods approach. Patients: Patients recovering from COVID-19 treated by primary care dietitians, exercise therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and/or speech and language therapists in the Netherlands. Methods: The prospective study will measure primary outcome domains: participation, health-related quality of life, fatigue, physical functioning, and costs, at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Interviews, on the patients’ experiences with allied healthcare, will be held with a subsample of patients and allied health professionals. Results: The cohort comprises 1,451 patients (57% female, mean age 49 (standard deviation 13) years). Preliminary results for the study cohort show that 974 (67%) of the participants reported mild/moderate severity symptoms during the infection period and patients reported severe restrictions in activities of daily living compared with previous research in other patient populations. Both quantitative and qualitative, will provide insight into the recovery of patients who are treated by allied health professionals. Conclusion: In conclusion, this will be the first comprehensive study to longitudinally evaluate the recovery trajectories and related costs of patients recovering from COVID-19 who are treated by allied health professionals in the Netherlands. This study will provide evidence for the optimal strategy to treat patients recovering from COVID-19 infection, including which patients benefit, and to what extent, from treatment, and which factors might impact their recovery course over time. The preliminary results of this study demonstrated the severity of restrictions and complaints at the start of therapy are substantial.
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Introduction: The transition from hospital to home is often suboptimal, resulting in patients not receiving the necessary allied healthcare after discharge. This may, in turn, lead to delayed recovery, a higher number of readmissions, more emergency department visits and an increase in mortality and healthcare costs. This study aimed to gain insight into patients' experiences, perceptions, and needs regarding hospital-to-home transition, focusing on allied healthcare as a first step towards the development of a transitional integrated allied healthcare pathway for patients with complex care needs after hospital discharge. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with patients. Participants were recruited from universities and general hospitals in the Amsterdam region between May and July 2023. They were eligible if they (1) were discharged from the hospital minimally 3 and maximally 12 months after admission to an oncologic surgery department, internal medicine department, intensive care unit, or trauma centre, (2) received hospital-based care from at least one allied healthcare provider, who visited the patient at least twice during hospital admission, (3) spoke Dutch or English and (4) were 18 years or older. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We performed a thematic analysis of the interview data. Results: Nineteen patients were interviewed. Three themes emerged from the analysis. ‘Allied healthcare support during transition’ depicts patients' positive experiences when they felt supported by allied health professionals during the hospital-to-home transition. ‘Patient and family involvement’ illustrates how much patients value the involvement of their family members during discharge planning. ‘Information recall and processing’ portrays the challenges of understanding and remembering overwhelming amounts of information, sometimes unclear and provided at the wrong moment. Overall, patients' experiences of transitional care were positive when they were involved in the discharge process. Negative experiences occurred when their preferences for postdischarge communication were ignored. Conclusions: This study suggests that allied health professionals need to continuously collaborate and communicate with each other to provide patients and their families with the personalized support they need. To provide high-quality and person-centred care, it is essential to consider how, when, and what information to provide to patients and their families to allow them to contribute to their recovery actively. Patient or Public Contribution: The interview guide for this manuscript was developed with the assistance of patients, who reviewed it and provided us with feedback. Furthermore, patients provided us with their valuable lived experiences by participating in the interviews conducted for this study.
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Het is essentieel dat cliënten na een opname in een ziekenhuis of revalidatiecentrum blijven werken aan een actieve leefstijl die bijdraagt aan preventie, participatie en kwaliteit van leven. Hoewel gezondheid en gedrag primair de verantwoordelijkheid is van mensen zelf, is niet iedereen in staat na thuiskomst het geleerde zelfstandig voort te zetten. Na een opname wordt de transitie naar de thuissituatie door patiënten als moeilijk ervaren, soms met achteruitgang en heropnames als gevolg. Zorgprofessionals herkennen dit ook en willen de transitie naar huis beter vormgeven. De centrale vraag die Hogeschool Leiden (Lectoraat Eigen Regie bij Fysiotherapie en Beweegzorg), Haagse Hogeschool (Lectoraat Revalidatie en Technologie), Hanze Hogeschool (Lectoraat Healthy Ageing, Allied Health & Nursing Care), zorginstellingen Basalt (revalidatiecentrum) en Nij Smellinghe (ziekenhuis) en fysiotherapiepraktijken Medifit en Havenfysio (MKB-bedrijf) willen beantwoorden is: WAT is, gezien vanuit het perspectief van de ervaringsdeskundige cliënt, bepalend voor het fysiek actief blijven en integreren van duurzaam beweeggedrag in de eigen thuissituatie tot 1 jaar na transitie vanuit de intramurale zorg. Vanuit positieve gezondheid wordt breed onderzocht hoe mensen de fysieke, sociale en emotionele uitdagingen in relatie tot fysieke activiteit hebben benaderd en ervaren in hun thuissituatie na intramurale zorgopname. Cliënten wordt gevraagd naar hun meest waardevolle en frustrerende ervaringen en activiteiten met betrekking tot fysiek actief blijven in de eerste 3 tot 12 maanden na thuiskomst. Door het gebruik van storytelling worden de ervaringsdeskundigheid en dieperliggende motivaties van cliënten centraal gesteld binnen hun persoonlijke thuissituatie. We brengen vervolgens beïnvloedbare factoren van fysieke activiteit in de thuissituatie van mensen in kaart vanuit de perspectieven positieve gezondheid, eigen regie en gedrag. Op basis van de bevindingen wordt in co-creatie een innovatieve interventie agenda opgeleverd over hoe de betrokken partners fysieke activiteit in de thuissituatie kunnen ondersteunen en hoe de samenwerking in de zorgketen beter georganiseerd kan worden.
