NAP Society News

Abstract

Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) in high-quality healthcare is contextual and dynamic. Objectives: The study aimed to identify the perceptions of the current workforce towards IPCP and to explore the challenges and barriers associated with socio-cultural values and other factors that could potentially affect the implementation of IPCP.This study adopted a mixed-methods -explanatory sequential design. Participants: Participants were health professionals in primary health care setting who voluntarily participate in the study and recruited using systematic random sampling.A 53-item validated Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT) with 8 subscales was administered in the quantitative stage and focus group discussions were completed in the subsequent stage.A total of 303 health professionals participated (61.8% response rate), from which 290 completed questionnaires were eligible for further analysis. Based on the collaborative practice assessment tool, the mean score = 204.05 with highest possible = 265. Nine focus group discussions involving 73 health professionals were held. Comparative analyses based on group demographics on quantitative data and thematic analyses for qualitative data, were conducted. Between the physicians and other groups, there were score differences in the leadership and vision–mission–aims subscales, as well as the decision-making (based on length of work experience) and patient-involvement subscales (based on age). The semantic thematic analysis resulted five themes: structures, supporting factors, inhibiting factors, perceived benefits and challenges of IPCP.The respondents’ perceptions towards interprofessional collaborative practice were positive. There are differences which could be attributed to professional background, the length of work experience and age. Factors at the organisational, group and individual levels contributed in IPCP at the primary care setting. They include socio-cultural factors such as uncertainty avoidance tendency, power differentials, and collectivist culture.