Abstract
BackgroundDue to multimorbidity and geriatric problems, older people often require both psychosocial and medical care. Collaboration between medical and social professionals is a prerequisite to deliver high-quality care for community-living older people. Effective, safe, and person-centered care relies on skilled interprofessional collaboration and practice. Little is known about interprofessional education to increase interprofessional collaboration in practice (IPCP) in the context of community care for older people. This study examines the feasibility of the implementation of an IPCP program in three community districts and determines its potential to increase interprofessional collaboration between primary healthcare professionals caring for older people.MethodA feasibility study was conducted to determine the acceptability and feasibility of data collection and analysis regarding interprofessional collaboration in network development. A questionnaire was used to measure the learning experience and the acquisition of knowledge and skills regarding the program. Network development was assessed by distributing a social network survey among professionals attending the program as well as professionals not attending the program at baseline and 5.5 months after. Network development was determined by calculating the number, reciprocity, value, and diversity of contacts between professionals using social network analysis.ResultsThe IPCP program was found to be instructive and the knowledge and skills gained were applicable in practice. Social network analysis was feasible to conduct and revealed a spill-over effect regarding network development. Program participants, as well as non-program participants, had larger, more reciprocal, and more diverse interprofessional networks than they did before the program.ConclusionsThis study showed the feasibility of implementing an IPCP program in terms of acceptability, feasibility of data collection, and social network analysis to measure network development, and indicated potential to increase interprofessional collaboration between primary healthcare professionals. Both program participants and non-program participants developed a larger, more collaborative, and diverse interprofessional network.
Highlights
With rapid population aging, the provision of care to older people with complex health issues resulting from multimorbidity and geriatric problems is a major challenge [1]
This study showed the feasibility of implementing an IPCP program in terms of acceptability, feasibility of data collection, and social network analysis to measure network development, and indicated potential to increase interprofessional collaboration between primary healthcare professionals
The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of the implementation of an IPCP program in three community districts to determine its potential to increase interprofessional collaboration between primary healthcare professionals caring for older people
Summary
The provision of care to older people with complex health issues resulting from multimorbidity and geriatric problems is a major challenge [1]. 94% of older people in The Netherlands live at home, and their complex conditions need medical- and social-care solutions For these solutions, interprofessional collaboration in practice (IPCP) between healthcare professionals is essential [3, 4]. Studies examine the implementation of an IPCP program for primary care healthcare professionals from the medical and social domains are lacking. The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of the implementation of an IPCP program in three community districts to determine its potential to increase interprofessional collaboration between primary healthcare professionals caring for older people. This study examines the feasibility of the implementation of an IPCP program in three community districts and determines its potential to increase interprofessional collaboration between primary healthcare professionals caring for older people
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