Enhancing knowledge and coordination in obesity treatment: a case study of an innovative educational program.

Background: Currently, there is a lack of knowledge, organisation and structure in modern health care systems to counter the global trend of obesity, which has become a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and cancer. There is a need to strengthen integrated care between primary and secondary health care and to enhance care delivery suited for patients with complex, long-term problems such as obesity. This study aimed to explore how an educational program for General Practitioners (GPs) can contribute to increased knowledge and improved coordination between primary and secondary care in obesity treatment, and reports on these impacts as perceived by the informants.

Methods: In 2010, an educational program for the specialist training of GPs was launched at three hospitals in Central Norway opting for improved care delivery for patients with obesity. In contrast to the usual programs, this educational program was tailored to the needs of GPs by offering practice and training with a large number of patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes for an extended period of time. In order to investigate the outcomes of the program, a qualitative design was applied involving interviews with 13 GPs, head physicians and staff at the hospitals and in one municipality.

Results: Through the program, participants strengthened care delivery by building knowledge and competence. They developed relations between primary and secondary care providers and established shared understanding and practices. The program also demonstrated improvement opportunities, especially concerning the involvement of municipalities.

Conclusions: The educational program promoted integrated care between primary and secondary care by establishing formal and informal relations, by improving service delivery through increased competence and by fostering shared understanding and practices between care levels. The educational program illustrates the combination of advanced high-quality training with the development of integrated care.