Ramon Dupuy Sybille, Cueille Sandrine, Dubourg Karine, Roques-Latrille Christian-François, Bauduer Frédéric
Institut du Thermalisme, University of Bordeaux, 40100 Dax, France.
Laboratoire de Recherche en Management (LIREM), University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, 64100 Bayonne, France.
Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Sep 22;11(19):2613. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11192613.
Spa therapy is a medical treatment based on the use of natural mineral water. In France, spa therapy is delivered in spa care facilities (SCF) involving the intervention of several actors (stakeholders). Spa doctors are key stakeholders as they prescribe the treatments, follow spa patients and assess spa therapy with scientific studies. This study aimed to analyze the spa doctors' relationships in order to highlight their role in transferring information to other stakeholders, particularly to spa managers. For that purpose, we used the social network analysis (SNA) method by means of snowball data collection. We sent a questionnaire to all the spa therapy categories of actors. In total, 80 persons answered and declared 397 relationships. Our results, based on the categorization of respondents and of their relationships and on quantitative indicators (density, response rate), show that spa doctors demonstrate a very acceptable density of relations with spa managers and elected local authorities. However, they appear to be poorly involved in relations concerning the strategy and management of SCF, although they are essential actors in ensuring the medical relevance and sustainability of spa therapy. This research is of interest to patients' care as it recommends deeper involvement of spa doctors in the management of SCF in order to optimize access to informational resources, specifically regarding the evolution of treatments in accordance with scientific progress. Our data are of international scope because the organizational model of balneotherapy, based on the cooperation between spa doctors and SCF, is universal.
水疗疗法是一种基于使用天然矿泉水的医学治疗方法。在法国，水疗疗法在水疗护理设施（SCF）中进行，涉及多个行为主体（利益相关者）的干预。水疗医生是关键的利益相关者，因为他们开出处方、跟踪水疗患者并通过科学研究评估水疗疗法。本研究旨在分析水疗医生之间的关系，以突出他们在向其他利益相关者，特别是向水疗经理传递信息方面的作用。为此，我们通过滚雪球式数据收集使用了社会网络分析（SNA）方法。我们向所有水疗疗法类别的行为主体发送了一份问卷。总共有80人回复并声明了397种关系。我们基于受访者及其关系的分类以及定量指标（密度、回复率）得出的结果表明，水疗医生与水疗经理和当选的地方当局之间的关系密度非常可观。然而，尽管他们是确保水疗疗法的医学相关性和可持续性的重要行为主体，但他们似乎很少参与有关水疗护理设施战略和管理的关系中。这项研究对患者护理具有重要意义，因为它建议水疗医生更深入地参与水疗护理设施的管理，以优化信息资源的获取，特别是关于根据科学进展调整治疗方法的信息。我们的数据具有国际范围，因为基于水疗医生和水疗护理设施合作的浴疗法组织模式是普遍适用的。
