Therapeutic Patient Education in the practice of physicians at the Geneva University Hospitals: a qualitative analysis of representative situations and skills

Introduction: Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is a patient-centered approach that requires proper training of healthcare professionals. This study aims to explore representative situations encountered by physicians in their practice where TPE training was useful, which can provide insights for the conception of TPE training programs. Methods: A qualitative approach with both focus groups (FG) and individual interviews with physicians trained in TPE in activity at the Geneva University Hospitals (GUH) was carried out. The data was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Two FG of 9 doctors were conducted. Six representative situations emerged from our analysis: non-compliance, maintaining a comprehensive vision for overall care of the patient, the partner patient, matching the patient request to the underlying need, co-constructing the therapeutic action plan, and confronting powerlessness. Discussion: Training in TPE allowed physicians to develop skills to better identify and address these situations. It also favored a change in the posture of the physician, from a posture of teaching and expertise to one of co-construction and learning. Conclusion: These situations show how much the care of complex patients is present in the medical practice and TPE training a valuable skill to deal with this complexity. TPE training targeted at these activities could have a positive impact on the practice of physicians and patient care.