Introduction: The Dutch policy on palliative care is to create regional networks in order to integrate hospicecare in the national healthcare-system. In this study, three regions with different characteristics in networkorganisation and state of development are monitored. Based on the principal of concept-mapping five topics (information, shared vision, objectives, transfer of knowledge, structure) were used to describe different dimensions of the network. The aim of the study is to investigate the relation between development of the network and the assessment by GP’s of the network.
Methods: The study combines a quantitative and a qualitative approach. The quantitative part consists of two questionnaires for all GP’s in the three regions. The same questionnaire will presented at the start of the study (T=0) and two years later (T=1). Statistical analysis will be carried out to demonstrate differences between regions, within regions and on individual GP-level. The qualitative part is carried out by analysing documents and interviews with the main network-actors.
Results: At this point, the state of development of the three regions at the start of the study is described.Response rates on the first questionnaire varies from 27-38%. The preliminary analysis of the first questionnaire show a statistical significant diffence for the dimension’transfer of knowledge’(Kruskal wallis, p <0.007).
Conclusions: At this stage of the study the preliminary analysis of the firts questionnaire show little differences between the three regions. In case of the region that has to strat network-development yet, this is a not expected outcome. Weighing of the questions in the SPSS-analysis may change the results of the statistical analysis.