Interview with SPIDeRR project collaborator: Felix Mühlensiepen

“Learning about different healthcare systems has been fascinating, and collaborating with established researchers and observing their scientific work is highly inspiring”

Divergent background
Dr. Felix Mühlensiepen, involved in work package 6, serves as a health services researcher at Brandenburg Medical School. He brings expertise in sociology, public health, and health services research to the SPIDeRR project. Mühlensiepen’s involvement originates from collaboration with rheumatologist Dr. Johannes Knitza, who invited him to join a Zoom meeting on the SPIDeRR project. “I really didn't receive any further information. I just clicked on ‘join the meeting’, and then I found myself among all those people in rheumatology I knew from publications. I joined the discussion, bringing my interest in implementation science. Following the meeting, I connected with key team members like Rachel Knevel and Loreto Carmona, who warmly welcomed me as a member of the project”, says Mühlensiepen, noting this occurred in late 2022, during the project's planning phase.

Addressing key challenges
Initially, Mühlensiepen focused on the implementation of the SPIDeRR tools in healthcare systems across Europe as part of Work Package 6. However, this requires understanding patient pathways and the implementation of standard treatment approaches in different countries as a first step. Together with the team from Instituto de Salud Musculoesquelética (Inmusc), Mühlensiepen is working on a survey and focus groups concerning patient journeys in R&D care across Europe. Additionally, together with the team from Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, he explores user perspectives on the ‘Rheumatic’ questionnaire, which involves gathering patient feedback on its usability, preferences, and expectations.

“We conduct classical health services research, employing qualitative methods, and are on the brink of publishing our first SPIDeRR related paper — a significant milestone for both myself and the PhD students involved”, shares Mühlensiepen. His future work will involve evaluating the implementation of various approaches, identifying bottlenecks, and comprehending patient and provider feedback. He notices that despite the structured tasks and milestones, they retain freedom to pursue additional research. “This flexibility, coupled with the five-year timeline, fosters thorough and enjoyable collaboration and research.”

Great excitement
Mühlensiepen finds great excitement in being part of the project. “It is a really nice change for me as most other collaborative projects mainly take place at a national level. Being able to attend meetings in person, like those in Budapest or Leiden, is a great experience. It fosters networking and collaboration, which we've already begun today: I sent a draft questionnaire to a colleague and received immediate feedback, highlighting the positive team dynamics. I also work in a great team including both MD students, such as Magali Wagner and Katharina Boy, and other advanced health services researchers, such as Susann May. I will be taking them along to the upcoming annual meetings so that they can also experience this positive atmosphere in SPIDeRR.”

Working in SPIDeRR has been a valuable experience for Mühlensiepen, especially coming from a small university. He explains that managing data protection across countries was an initial challenge, but that international collaboration has fewer hierarchies and more mutual support. Mühlensiepen: “Learning about different healthcare systems, like Greece's direct specialist access approach, has been fascinating and helps in thinking about improving systems, and collaborating with established researchers and observing their scientific work is highly inspiring.”

Future ideas
Mühlensiepen says to be passionate about science and health services research, especially in digital healthcare. “The SPIDeRR project is valuable in helping me explore various paths and reflect on my future.” During the interview, he also emphasizes the ongoing need for research post-SPIDeRR to ensure the sustainability of its approaches across diverse settings and patient groups. “I am intrigued by the possibility of applying some SPIDeRR approaches to other medical domains in the future.”