Care of elderly people by the general practitioner and the geriatrician in Belgium: a qualitative study of their relationship

Objectives. The care of elderly people is a large part of the general practitioners’ work. The growing elderly population requires a reflection on the management of care. Within this large field, we focused on the relationship between general practitioners (GPs) and hospital geriatricians (HGs). Methods. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were performed to describe the collaboration between GPs and HGs: four groups with only GPs, two groups with only HGs and one group with GPs and hospital specialists. Participants were invited to speak about their bad or good experiences of inter-collaboration. The discussions were recorded, transcribed and coded. Results. An important regional disparity was observed: areas that benefit from a wider range of geriatric services were characterised by a perception of better relationships and easier collaboration. In areas with few geriatric services, doctors knew little of other professionals and reported suspicion and even conflicts. Positive experiences and exchanges favour good relationships. Conclusions. The collaboration between GPs and HGs should be enhanced: information, exchanges, reflection on roles and competencies are essential.