Co-creation of an evidence-based toolkit to facilitate communication on complementary medicine between conventional and complementary healthcare practitioners in the Netherlands

Abstract

Abstract Background: The Dutch health care system is in need for guidance and implementation of complementary care of which shared decision making, communication and referral between conventional and complementary care practitioners are major components. A Dutch quality register for complementary healthcare practitioners (RBCZ) was interested to adopt and implement an improved version of a communication toolkit developed in an earlier project. The aim of this study was to improve the communication and collaboration between member practitioners of RBCZ and conventional healthcare practitioners. Methods: The set of communication tools was updated and expanded with new tools in a co-creation process with conventional and complementary healthcare practitioners in three field labs; Utrecht, Amsterdam and the north of the Netherlands. Thematic focus group discussions were held to define the content and implementation of the toolkit. A pragmatic evidence-based decision aid for the respective complementary care modalities was developed based on a literature assessment and Strength Of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) criteria. Results The final evidence-based toolkit consisted of seven communication tools, covering the themes: getting to know each other, communication, frame letters, decision aid with evidence-based recommendations for 13 complementary therapies and 6 indications, and support for communication of the RBCZ members/professional associations and implementation. Conclusions: The evidence-based toolkit will be made available to 25 professional associations covering over 9.500 complementary healthcare practitioners in the Netherland (RBCZ). The regional collaboration amongst complementary healthcare practitioners was strengthened as well as between complementary and conventional healthcare practitioners.