Rural physicians' perceptions about the challenges of participating in interprofessional collaboration: Insights from a focus group study

Abstract

Previous research indicates that interprofessional teams in medicine often fail to collaborate effectively, especially in rural areas. Rural physicians play an essential role in determining patient care in interprofessional collaborations; however, no extant studies address the difficulties that rural physicians face in such collaborations and interprofessional teams. This study sought to illuminate physician perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. Focus groups were performed with physicians who worked at clinics and community hospitals in Unnan City, Japan. Transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Rural physicians believed that collaboration was influenced by social changes, being bound to rural areas, and a lack of opportunities for interprofessional education and collaboration. We propose several strategies to redress the difficulties the physicians in our focus group identified in interprofessional collaborations in rural medicine. Future research should unpack these difficulties and measure the effects of different interventions. • Identifies difficulties rural physicians face in interprofessional collaborations. • Conducted focus group interviews with physicians to determine difficulties. • Participants were from clinics and hospitals in Unnan City, a rural city in Japan. • Physicians struggle with social change, isolation, and lack of opportunity.