[Panic disorder and agoraphobia in general practice: Advantages and pitfalls of a practice team-supported exposure training from the general practitioner's perspective - a qualitative study]

[Health Assistants Perspectives on Team-Led Program for Patients with Panic Disorder in General Practice - A Qualitative Study]

AIM OF THE STUDY

Investigation of the perspective of medical assistants (MA) regarding their participation in behaviour-therapy oriented interventions in family practice.

METHOD

15 MA (w, 39.5 years old), case managers in a general practitioner supported exercise programme for patients with panic disorder (ICD-10: F41.0), were interviewed using semi-structured interview guidelines on the recruitment and interaction of/with patients, communication of the exercises and implementation in everyday practice. The interviews (n = 14) were documented, transcribed and qualitatively analysed according to Mayring.

RESULTS

MA perceived their contribution to the intervention regarding recruitment and monitoring of patients through telephone contacts as positive.

CONCLUSION

Strengthening the role of MAs' can help to provide targeted support for patients with mental health problems in GP care as part of a low-threshold intervention and relieve the workload on the GP.