German rehabilitation after total hip or knee arthroplasty through Dutch eyes: a qualitative focus group pilot study

This study aimed to learn from the experiences of patients who have undergone medical rehabilitation following hip or knee arthroplasty in the Netherlands and Germany. A qualitative focus group study was conducted among Dutch revision total hip and knee arthroplasty patients who had experience with initial rehabilitation in the Netherlands plus inpatient rehabilitation in Germany as part of the ‘Common Care’ pilot project. The focus group was recorded, transcribed verbatim and pseudonymised. A thematic analysis using an inductive approach was performed. Five patients and two family members joined the focus group. Analysis revealed five themes: language, location, therapy content, outcomes and structure. Content-wise, therapy, outcomes and structure of rehabilitation in Germany were perceived as more beneficial. In terms of location and language, patients favoured the Dutch approach. Participants generally expressed higher levels of satisfaction with the German rehabilitation trajectory versus the Dutch. The German approach’s main advantages were the more extensive therapy content and supervision plus a feeling of faster recovery, the Dutch were the home-sweet-home feeling, language and travel distance. Future research should further evaluate effects of rehabilitation policies especially on return to work.