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Introduction: The combination of internet-based intervention and psychotherapy, commonly termed blended therapy (BT), has gained popularity in recent years. While advantages and disadvantages of BT have been identified from the patient and therapist perspective, the two perspectives have rarely been examined within the same treatment. Moreover, almost all available research on patient and therapist experiences with BT is disorder-specific. This study aimed to investigate patient and therapist experiences within the same transdiagnostic BT. Methods: A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with eight patients and eight therapists taking part in a transdiagnostic blended intervention focusing on the topic of emotion regulation was conducted. A qualitative content analysis approach was used. Category frequencies were calculated and similarities and differences between the patient and therapist experience were explored. Results: Ten main themes and 59 subthemes were identified in the category system for patient interviews and ten main themes and 50 subthemes were identified in the category system for therapist interviews. Similarities and differences between the two perspectives were reported with regard to 1) expectations toward the intervention, 2) the internet-based intervention, 3) symptomatology and emotion regulation, 4) the therapeutic relationship and 5) the blended format. Conclusion: This study provides first insights on the experiences with transdiagnostic BT focusing on emotion regulation. Based on the results, different recommendations for the improvement of transdiagnostic BT are made. Future research on patient and therapist experiences with transdiagnostic BT is necessary, in order to further improve the experience of those involved.

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OBJECTIVE: Prior high school educational attainment and medical aptitude tests are two of the most frequently used selection procedures for admission to medical school. Both of these have been shown to correlate with future performance. However, there is a need for further analysis of the combined impact of these two admissions tools and comparison of their predictive value for future performance. At present, successful completion of high school (Matura) and an aptitude test (Eignungstest Medizinstudium Schweiz, EMS; Swiss Aptitude Test in Medicine) are used for admission to all medical schools in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The purpose of this study was to explore the predictors that are most decisive for performance in undergraduate medical education. More precisely, we were interested in the contributions of the Matura grade and the EMS score to explanations of performance in the Bachelor program of Medicine at the University of Bern. METHODS: Matura grades, EMS score and performance in the Bachelor program of Medicine were collected for 730 students from four cohorts. Of these, 277 graduated from high school with a biology-chemistry major. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted for each study year and type of examination to determine which predictors affected performance during undergraduate medical education. RESULTS: These data show that Matura grades are an important predictor for performance in undergraduate medical education. The EMS score had no impact when the Matura grades were part of the analysis. The biology-chemistry major grade was a predictor for performance in the first year of undergraduate study. From the second academic year onwards, past performance in the bachelor’s program was the best predictor for future performance during undergraduate medical education. CONCLUSIONS: Students’ Matura grades predicted their subsequent performance in undergraduate medical education in the bachelor’s program of the University of Bern. In contrast, EMS scores do not explain any additional variance in students’ performance throughout the entire bachelor’s program. These findings suggest a need for rethinking the admission process.

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OBJECTIVES: To test the feasibility of professional patients as a tool for sexual health service evaluation. Professional patients are paid to use services specifically for audit or evaluation purposes without disclosing their identity as evaluators. METHODS: Professional patients visited five large sexual health departments used by 3000 clients per week in two inner London Boroughs with very high rates of sexual ill health. They recorded their experience on a structured evaluation form. Semi-structured telephone interviews were completed with seven service providers to document their experience of the programme. RESULTS: Recruitment and training for professional patients is described. Forty professional patients made 105 visits during two rounds of visits 9 months apart. After 47% (round 1) and 62% (round 2) of visits, the professional patients felt that they would recommend the service to a friend. The professional patients provided detailed and specific feedback on all aspects of service provision. This information was highly valued by service providers who reported few objections from staff to the visits. A small number of examples of very poor care were documented. CONCLUSIONS: Professional patients are a useful tool for sexual health service evaluation. They provide high quality feedback because they are both 'experts' on sexual health service provision and users of sexual health services. This method of evaluation raises ethical issues about the acceptability of deception as part of the evaluation process, the right of staff to anonymity and to refuse to be visited. Professional patient programmes provide an opportunity for regular cycles of user feedback to monitor quality improvement.

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