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Table 1 Training seminar for general practitioners: 2-day workshop

From: Patient education in chronic heart failure in primary care (ETIC) and its impact on patient quality of life: design of a cluster randomised trial

Module 1: Introduction

 - Introduction to the concepts of the ETIC trial and patient education

Module 2: Heart failure

 - Chronic heart failure: definitions; epidemiology; clinical diagnosis; treatment guidelines; echocardiographic criteria; cardiac biomarkers: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and NT-proBNP (how, when to prescribe them, how to use them)

 - Clinical symptoms: how to recognize heart failure in daily practice?

 - NYHA stages: definitions, assessment of NYHA stages from case vignettes

 - Suspicious clinical signs

 - Adaptation of physical activity as a function of the NYHA stage

Module 3: Concepts of patient education

 - Assessment and building on the patient’s previous knowledge

 - Identification of life-style and dietary habits, physical activity, hobbies, leisure activities, projects, and resources available to the patient

 - Assessment of the patient’s stage of change, motivation and attitudes

 - Collaboration with the patient to define achievable and measurable objectives

Module 4: Communication

 - Communication skills

 - Communication tools

 - Motivational interviewing

 - Lifestyle counselling based on the 5As model (ask, assess, advise, assist, and arrange)

Module 5: Role-playing to simulate a patient consultation with the general practitioner

 - Identification and use of the patient’s knowledge (clinical alarm signs, physical activity, diet and cardiovascular risk factors), values, motivation, projects and resources to implicate the patient in their personal objectives

 - Classification of the personal objectives by therapeutic priority and patient preference

 - Use of effective communication strategies

Module 6: Case report forms

 - Inclusion and exclusion criteria

 - How to promote and present the ETIC trial to patients

 - How to fill in the case report forms

 - How to organize the follow-up and topics: educational booklet and educational tools (i.e. dietary leaflets, clinical alarm signs)