Interprofessional Care Models Research Articles

Use of an electronic wellness instrument in the integrated health and social care of older adults: a group concept mapping study

BackgroundHealth system fragmentation directly contributes to poor health and social outcomes for older adults with multiple chronic conditions and their care partners. Older adults often require support from primary care, multiple specialists, home care, community support services, and other health-care sectors and communication between these providers is unstructured and not standardized. Integrated and interprofessional team-based models of care are a recommended strategy to improve health service delivery to older adults with complex needs. Standardized assessment instruments deployed on digital platforms are considered a necessary component of integrated care. The aim of this study was to develop strategies to leverage an electronic wellness instrument, interRAI Check Up Self Report, to support integrated health and social care for older adults and their care partners in a community in Southern Ontario, Canada.MethodsGroup concept mapping, a participatory mixed-methods approach, was conducted. Participants included older adults, care partners, and representatives from: home care, community support services, specialized geriatric services, primary care, and health informatics. In a series of virtual meetings, participants generated ideas to implement the interRAI Check Up and rated the relative importance of these ideas. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to map the ideas into clusters of similar statements. Participants reviewed the map to co-create an action plan.ResultsForty-one participants contributed to a cluster map of ten action areas (e.g., engagement of older adults and care partners, instrument’s ease of use, accessibility of the assessment process, person-centred process, training and education for providers, provider coordination, health information integration, health system decision support and quality improvement, and privacy and confidentiality). The health system decision support cluster was rated as the lowest relative importance and the health information integration was cluster rated as the highest relative importance.ConclusionsMany person-, provider-, and system-level factors need to be considered when implementing and using an electronic wellness instrument across health- and social-care providers. These factors are highly relevant to the integration of other standardized instruments into interprofessional team care to ensure a compassionate care approach as technology is introduced.

A Study Protocol for an Interprofessional Model of Care to Prevent and Treat Chronic Disease Using a Nutrition Program Based on Whole Food, Plant-Based Eating Pattern

A Study Protocol for an Interprofessional Model of Care to Prevent and Treat Chronic Disease Using a Nutrition Program Based on Whole Food, Plant-Based Eating Pattern

System-Based Interventions to Address Physician Burnout: A Qualitative Study of Canadian Family Physicians' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Medical professionals experienced high rates of burnout and moral distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Canada, burnout has been linked to a growing number of family physicians (FPs) leaving the workforce, increasing the number of patients without access to a regular doctor. This study explores the different factors that impacted FPs' experience with burnout and moral distress during the pandemic, with the goal of identifying system-based interventions aimed at supporting FP well-being and improving retention. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with FPs across four health regions in Canada. Participants were asked about the roles they assumed during different stages of the pandemic, and they were also encouraged to describe their well-being, including relevant supports and barriers. We used thematic analysis to examine themes relating to FP mental health and well-being. We interviewed 68 FPs across the four health regions. We identified two overarching themes related to moral distress and burnout: (1) inability to provide appropriate care, and (2) system-related stressors and buffers of burnout. FPs expressed concern about the quality of care their patients were able to receive during the pandemic, citing instances where pandemic restrictions limited their ability to access critical preventative and diagnostic services. Participants also described four factors that alleviated or exacerbated feelings of burnout, including: (1) workload, (2) payment model, (3) locum coverage, and (4) team and peer support. The COVID-19 pandemic limited FPs' ability to provide quality care to patients, and contributed to increased moral distress and burnout. These findings highlight the importance of implementing system-wide interventions to improve FP well-being during public health emergencies. These could include the expansion of interprofessional team-based models of care, alternate remuneration models for primary care (ie, non-fee-for-service), organized locum programs, and the availability of short-term insurance programs to cover fixed practice operating costs.

An interprofessional model of care for adolescents with perinatal HIV: A qualitative study.

The number of perinatally HIV-infected adolescents (PHIVA) is increasing however many health care systems are not prepared for this population and their health challenges, specifically a model of care (MoC) is lacking. Thus the objective of this study was to develop and propose a MoC for PHIVA. Through a qualitative study design, a MoC was developed and ratified with two focus groups, consisting of PHIVA and healthcare professionals. Seven participants were included in each focus group and the following themes were developed: relatable attributes; missing components; implementation and suggestions. Changes were made to the drafts of the MoC in response to the focus group results, leading to the finalisation of a MoC for PHIVA. The MoC focused on the importance of interprofessional health care and addressed the physical sequelae that PHIVA are likely to encounter. A schematic of the MoC was created for the use in general public education. It is important that healthcare facilities are equipped to handle the specific needs of PHIVA. The interprofessional MoC developed in this study helps to address the requirements of this population.

Defining geriatric care in a developing country: A Multidisciplinary model empowering clinical pharmacists

BackgroundThe elderly population often has complex health needs due to multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and inappropriate prescriptions. Clinical pharmacists play an important role in optimizing pharmacotherapy as a part of a multidisciplinary geriatric care team. However, there is a lack of integrated models in developing countries. AimTo develop a standardized framework for the provision of clinical pharmacy services in geriatric care – A Comprehensive Geriatric Care Model. MethodsA systematic service design process was used to develop an innovative geriatric care model in a tertiary hospital in southern India. The roles of stakeholders were captured through interviews and observations. Evidence-based clinical pharmacy services were developed focusing on medication reconciliation, medication review, patient counselling, and transitions of care. ResultsThe Comprehensive Geriatric Care Model integrates the pharmacist into coordinated care. The responsibilities of physicians, nurses, patients, caregivers, and pharmacists throughout the inpatient stay are shown in swim-lane diagrams. Pharmacy services address inappropriate prescriptions, poor adherence, adverse drug reactions, and fragmented care. ConclusionsThe systematic development of an interprofessional geriatric care model embedded with evidence-based clinical pharmacy services was made possible using a patient-centered service design methodology. The implementation and evaluation of this collaborative approach could significantly improve the quality of care and outcomes for older adults.

Apple Tree Maternity: A Qualitative Exploration of the Development of a Rural Collaborative Interprofessional Maternity Care Service

Introduction: There is currently a maternity care crisis in Canada, with many of the obstetricians and family physicians reaching retirement age in the next 10 years. Primary midwifery care services may offer solutions. However, due to the many constraints and difficulties faced by midwives practicing in rural settings, there is an emerging interest in exploring interprofessional collaborative models of maternity care as a possible solution to the crisis. This study documents the process and experiences of care providers in establishing and providing collaborative interprofessional maternity care in rural British Columbia. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders (primary care providers and allied health professionals) working at Apple Tree Maternity. Interviewees spoke to both the process of establishing a new collaborative interprofessional model of care and the experience of working and providing care within the model. Findings: Four main themes emerged through the dialogue with the stakeholders: motivation for collaboration; challenges and barriers to collaborative care; attributes and benefits of collaborative care; and core qualities and recommendations for successful interprofessional collaboration. Based on their experience of establishing and working within a new model of collaborative, interprofessional, rural maternity care, the study participants identified core qualities and recommendations for successful interprofessional collaboration in a rural community to be mutual trust and respect; common philosophy of care, mutual commitment, and genuine desire to collaborate; clear and effective communication; ensuring the collaborative model is responsive to the unique needs of specific communities; community support; supportive institutional culture; and alternative payment plans and billing structures. Conclusion and implications for practice: This study revealed a number of attributes to collaboration that mirror those identified by others. In addition, study participants identified particular challenges unique to the rural context. Further research documenting the care provider experiences of interprofessional collaboration in other rural settings is warranted. In addition, there is also a need to explore and document the experiences of collaborative practice, in both rural and urban settings, from the client perspective. It is only when this is achieved that significant policy change suggestions should be made that will facilitate both collaborative practice and an improvement in care to women in rural settings. The need for this research is vital given the maternity care crisis in British Columbia and the need for supporting sustainable rural maternity care models. This article has been peer reviewed.

Integrating Oral Health Care into Primary Care Well Child Visits: An Interprofessional Model of Care

Integrating Oral Health Care into Primary Care Well Child Visits: An Interprofessional Model of Care

Recreating the village: the patient experience with a hybrid model of Group Perinatal Care (GPPC) in an academic family health team

BackgroundGroup prenatal care (GPC) has been shown to have a positive impact on social support, patient knowledge and preparedness for birth. We developed an interprofessional hybrid model of care whereby the group perinatal care (GPPC) component was co-facilitated by midwives (MW) and family medicine residents (FMR) and alternating individual visits were provided by family physicians (FP’s) within our academic family health team (FHT) In this qualitative study, we sought to explore the impact of this program and how it supports patients through pregnancy and the early newborn period.MethodsQualitative study that was conducted using semi-structured telephone interviews with 18 participants who had completed GPPC in the Mount Sinai Academic Family Health Team in Toronto, Canada and delivered between November 2016 and October 2018. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted by team members using grounded theory.ResultsFour over-arching themes emerged from the data: (i) Participants highly valued information they received from multiple trusted sources, (ii) Participants felt well cared for by the collaborative and coordinated interprofessional team, (iii) The design of GPPC enabled a shared experience, allowing for increased support of the pregnant person, and (iv) GPPC facilitated a supportive transition into the community which positively impacted participants’ emotional well- being.ConclusionsThe four constructs of social support (emotional, informational, instrumental and appraisal) were central to the value that participants found in GPPC. This support from the team of healthcare providers, peers and partners had a positive impact on participants’ mental health and helped them face the challenges of their transition to parenthood.

Nurse-Led Care Coordination in a Transitional Clinic for Uninsured Patients With Diabetes.

The purpose of this article is to inform the reader of the practice of the registered nurse care coordinator (RNCC) within an interprofessional, nurse-led clinic serving uninsured diabetic patients in a large urban city. This clinic serves as a transitional care clinic, providing integrated diabetes management and assisting patients to establish with other primary care doctors in the community once appropriate. The clinic uses an interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) model with the RNCC at the center of patient onboarding, integrated responsive care, and clinic transitioning. Interprofessional, nurse-led clinic for uninsured patients with diabetes. Interprofessional models of care are strengthened using a specialized care coordinator. Care coordination is a key component in case management of a population with chronic disease. The RNCC, having specialized clinical expertise, is an essential member of the interdisciplinary team, contributing a wide range of resources to assist patients in achieving successful outcomes managing diabetes. Transitional care coordination, moving from unmanaged to managed diabetes care, is part of a bundled health care process fundamental to this clinic's IPCP model. In a transitional clinic setting, frequent interaction with patients through onboarding, routine check-ins, and warm handoff helps support and empower the patient to be engaged in their personal health care journey.

Patients' experiences of and roles in interprofessional collaborative practice in primary care: a constructivist grounded theory study.

This constructivist grounded theory study aimed to (1) explore patients' experiences of and roles in interprofessional collaborative practice for chronic conditions in primary care and (2) consider the relevance and alignment of an existing theoretical framework on patients' roles and based on the experiences of patient advocates. High-quality management of chronic conditions requires an interprofessional collaborative practice model of care considering an individual's mental, physical, and social health situation. Patients' experiences of this model in the primary care setting are relatively unknown. A constructivist grounded theory approach was taken. Interview data were collected from primary care patients with chronic conditions across Australia in August 2020 - February 2022. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed by (1) initial line-by-line coding, (2) focused coding, (3) memo writing, (4) categorisation, and (5) theme and sub-theme development. Themes and sub-themes were mapped against an existing theoretical framework to expand and confirm the results from a previous study with a similar research aim. Twenty adults with chronic conditions spanning physical disability, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune, and mental health conditions participated. Two themes were developed: (1) Adapting to Change with two sub-themes describing how patients adapt to interprofessional team care and (2) Shifting across the spectrum of roles, with five sub-themes outlining the roles patients enact while receiving care. The findings suggest that patients' roles are highly variable and fluid in interprofessional collaborative practice, and further work is recommended to develop a resource to support greater patient engagement in interprofessional collaborative practice.

Impact of Initiating a GLP1 Agonist and/or SGLT2 Inhibitor Therapy on De-Escalation and Discontinuation of Insulin and Diabetes Control When Managed by an Interprofessional Collaborative Team.

An FQHC in Denver, Colorado developed and implemented an interprofessional care model to collaboratively manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Utilizing the 340B program, the team protocolized ADA Guidelines to promote the early adoption of first-line medications, glucagon-like peptide1 receptor agonists (GLP1 RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) to improve patient outcomes. To assess the impact of interprofessional collaborative management versus standard care on early initiation of a SGLT2i and/or GLP1 RA as first-line therapies to enhance (1) deprescribing of insulin, (2) reducing overbasalization of insulin through insulin de-escalation, and (3) effectively lowering A1C levels in adult primary care patients with T2DM. This was a retrospective chart review of adult patients with T2DM who were initiated on a GLP1 RA and/or a SGLT2i. To determine the effects of initiating GLP1 RA and/or SGLT2i therapy on insulin usage and glycemic control, the total daily dose (TDD) of insulin before initiation was compared with the most recent TDD post-initiation to evaluate deprescribing. To determine the impact on overbasalization, pre-initiation and post-initiation insulin doses were evaluated. The effectiveness of GLP1 RA and/or SGLT2i in lowering A1C levels was determined by comparing the A1C prior to initiation with the A1C postinitiation. To evaluate the influence of interprofessional collaborative care on insulin deprescribing, overbasalization, and diabetes control, relevant measures were compared between patients receiving collaborative care versus standard care. Of the 60 total patients treated with insulin, 46.6% were deprescribed insulin, with a majority in the interprofessional collaborative group (93.1%) compared to standard care (6.9%). A total of 78.3% of patients benefited from a reduction in A1C following the initiation of a GLP1 RA and/or SGLT2i. The greatest A1C reduction was -2.9% in the group receiving metformin in addition to a GLP1 RA and a SGLT2i. Patients who received interprofessional collaborative care had an average A1c reduction of -2.9% compared to-1.1% with standard care. Most patients initially overbasalized on insulin experienced a reduction in overbasalization after initiating GLP1 RA and/or SGLT2i. There was a notable A1C reduction, de-escalation, and deprescribing of insulin in patients receiving interprofessional collaborative care.

Pharmacists Colocated With Primary Care Physicians: Understanding Delivery of Interprofessional Primary Care.

While evidence supports interprofessional primary care models that include pharmacists, the extent to which pharmacists are working in primary care and the factors associated with colocation is unknown. This study aimed to analyze the physical colocation of pharmacists with primary care providers (PCPs) and examine predictors associated with colocation. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of pharmacists and PCPs with individual National Provider Identifiers in the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System's database. Pharmacist and PCP practice addresses of the health care professionals were geocoded, and distances less than 0.1 miles were considered physically colocated. In all, 502,373 physicians and 221,534 pharmacists were included. When excluding hospital-based pharmacists, 1 in 10 (11%) pharmacists were colocated with a PCP. Pharmacists in urban settings were more likely to be colocated than those in rural areas (OR=1.32, CI: 1.26-1.38). Counties with the highest proportion of licensed pharmacists per 100,000 people in the county had higher colocation (OR=1.38, CI: 1.32-1.45). Colocation was significantly higher in states with an expanded scope of practice (OR 1.37, CI: 1.32-1.42) and those that have expanded Medicaid (OR 1.07, CI: 1.03-1.11). Colocated pharmacists more commonly worked in larger physician practices. Although including pharmacists on primary care teams improves clinical outcomes, reduces health care costs, and enhances patient and provider experience, colocation appears to be unevenly dispersed across the United States, with lower rates in rural areas. As the integration of pharmacists in primary care continues to expand, knowing the prevalence and facilitators of growth will be helpful to policymakers, researchers, and clinical administrators.

Clinical and Organizational Nursing Innovations in Primary Care: Findings From a Stakeholders' Symposium.

Nursing innovations in primary care, based on interprofessional care models, could be better identified, recognized, and deployed. This article presents the results of a symposium discussing the implementation of nursing innovations in primary care in Quebec, Canada, in partnership with researchers and stakeholders. Built on the appreciative inquiry approach, 9 nursing innovations were described. To support the implementation of such nursing innovations responding to current primary care issues and population needs, 4 recommendations emerged: the need to implement strategies to achieve optimal scope of practice for primary care nurses; the importance to develop funding and organizational models that support primary care nursing innovation; the need to enhance a collaborative and democratic governance open to innovation; and the opportunity to create partnerships with the research community and teaching institutions.

Evaluation of a pharmacist-led interprofessional chronic pain clinic in Canada.

Chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) is a common condition that affects individuals at a biopsychosocial level and can significantly impair function and quality of life. Referral to an interprofessional CNCP program is recommended for most patients; however, these clinics are limited in number and capacity. Expanding access by testing new service delivery models would be of value. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of a new pharmacist-led, interprofessional model of care developed at the University of Saskatchewan Chronic Pain Clinic. A retrospective chart audit was conducted using data that included adult patients referred for CNCP management between May 2020 and December 2021. Medication use, overall health status (using the Clinical Global Impression of Change-Improvement [CGI-I] scale) and patient readiness to change (using the Transtheoretical Model) were measured 6 months after the initial appointment. The study included 138 patients. Of the 80 patients taking an opioid, 22.5% were switched to buprenorphine/naloxone and the remainder had their mean morphine-equivalent dose reduced by a mean of 41.7 mg/d. Overall patient health status was minimally improved and many patients moved into the Action stage of change. Changes in opioid use demonstrate a clinically important shift toward safer medication regimens that are less likely to lead to toxicity and unintended overdose. CGI-I data suggest that these patients, whose health status is typically very difficult to change, did not deteriorate but slightly improved after attending the clinic. The unique pharmacist-led, interprofessional model of care used by the University of Saskatchewan Chronic Pain Clinic may offer a viable alternative to traditional physician-led models.

Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Health Care Teams in a Regional Cancer Institute: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

ObjectivesOncology is a rapidly changing clinical setting. Research has shown improved patient outcomes and staff satisfaction following interprofessional collaborative education, but there has been limited research on perceptions of interprofessional collaboration among oncology health care professionals. The aims of this study were to: 1) assess attitudes of health care professionals toward interprofessional teams in oncology care, and 2) assess for differences in attitudes across various demographic and workplace groups. Data SourcesThe research design was an electronic cross-sectional survey. The main instrument utilized was the Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Health Care Teams (ATIHCT) survey. A total of 187 oncology health care professionals from a regional New England cancer institute completed the survey. The ATIHCT mean score was high (M = 4.07, SD = 0.51). Analysis revealed statistically significant differences in mean score among participant age groups (P = .03). Significant differences (P = .01) were also noted between different professional groups and their time constraints sub-scale score on the ATIHCT scale. A higher mean score occurred in participants who had a current certification (M = 4.13, SD = 0.50) compared to those without (M = 4.05, SD = 0.46). ConclusionHigh overall scores in attitudes toward health care teams suggest that cancer care settings are primed for interprofessional care model implementation. Future studies should examine strategies to improve attitudes among specific groups. Implications for Nursing PracticeNurses are in a position to lead interprofessional teamwork in the clinical setting. Further research is necessary to examine best collaborative models in health care to support interprofessional teamwork.

Exploring the collaborative care of patients with pelvic fractures in Tshwane, South Africa.

Pelvic fractures are complex injuries that lead to long-term disabilities and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Even though pelvic fractures are known to be challenging to manage, there is limited information on guidelines and protocols to ensure that patients receive comprehensive and collaborative healthcare. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach was utilised to explore current practices and innovations of healthcare professionals (HPs) in Tshwane academic hospitals in the collaborative management and rehabilitation of patients with pelvic fractures, using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Six overarching themes were identified from the interviews with HPs: The biopsychosocial lens of the patient, limitations in approaches to care, contextual impediments to care, the team challenge; the biopsychosocial aspects of care and forging forward to improve care. A multidisciplinary approach is encouraged for the comprehensive management of pelvic fractures. However, a poor understanding of roles and poor referral structures challenge this approach. Further barriers to caring include staff shortages and limited resources. Healthcare professionals recommended interprofessional education and collaborative practice, student training and using standardised outcome measurement tools to improve care for patients with pelvic fractures.Contribution:This study lays a foundation to initiate conversations about the development of an interprofessional model of care for patients with pelvic fractures. Findings might inform health policies on the management of pelvic fractures. Healthcare professionals might apply strategies that enhance the quality of healthcare provided. Patients with pelvic fractures might receive quality interprofessional healthcare that promotes quality of life, post pelvic fractures.

Integration of the patient-centered medical home to deliver a care bundle for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death globally and is projected to be the leading global cause of death in the next 15 years. Although best practices exist to improve outcomes for patients with COPD, delivering these interventions at scale remains a challenge. ObjectivesThis evaluation explores the impact of a COPD primary care bundle titled Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) on patient outcomes. Primary objectives are (1) to determine 30-day readmission rates after discharge from the hospital and emergency department, (2) to evaluate patient access to primary care services after discharge, and (3) to measure incorporation of COPD best practices into routine clinical care. Practice descriptionThe current evaluation explores the impact of the COPD CARE service, an interprofessional primary care model that leverages pharmacists within the patient-centered medical home to deliver COPD management best practices. Pharmacists providing COPD CARE serve in a prescribing role to optimize medication therapy, order spirometry, place critical patient referrals, and coordinate patient follow-up. Practice innovationPharmacists delivering the COPD CARE service independently manage COPD as prescribers and coordinate provision of care with the primary care team. Evaluation methodsThis retrospective evaluation of the COPD CARE service occurred at 2 medical centers and 5 associated outpatient clinics within the Department of Veterans Affairs. ResultsA total of 118 patients completed the COPD CARE service, with no statistically significant differences in patient age, gender, race, tobacco use, or Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage between the COPD CARE and comparator group. Receipt of the COPD CARE service was associated with a 15% reduction in all-cause 30-day readmissions compared with TAU (COPD CARE, 14%; treatment as usual [TAU], 29%; P < 0.05). A total of 92% of patients enrolled in COPD CARE received primary care follow-up within 30 days of discharge compared with 49% in the comparator group (P < 0.001). ConclusionCOPD CARE participation resulted in greater access to health care, increased receipt of COPD management best practices, and readmission reduction.

"The Community That Takes Care of Itself": A Feasibility Study to Support Families Caring for a Loved One With Alzheimer Disease.

This pilot project was aimed at supporting those families caring at home for loved ones suffering from Alzheimer dementia. Fourteen dyads of "caregivers-loved ones with dementia" were recruited and assigned either to the experimental group (n = 7) or to the control group (n = 7). The experimental group attended a training course, an Alzheimer Café, a self-help group for caregivers, and the support from a volunteer and professional nurse in-home visits, while the control group's dyads attended a standard intervention. To investigate the effects of this integrated and interprofessional model of care, caregivers completed the Caregiver Burden Inventory and 2 ad hoc structured questions to evaluate whether quality of life of the dyads was changed. Moreover, the caregivers of the experimental group completed the Self-Assessment Single Questionnaire, version 6 (Q-UAV6). Only caregivers of the experimental group reported a significant reduction in burden and an improved quality of life of the dyad. They also showed a greater acceptance of the disease, became experts in the care of their loved ones, and improved their relationship. The creation of a service integration network of professionals, volunteers, and families has been shown to be useful in supporting those families caring at home for loved ones suffering from Alzheimer dementia.

A comparative cohort study of gastrointestinal oncology patients: Impact of a shift to telehealth on delivery of interprofessional cancer care

Early studies of oncology visits performed via telehealth demonstrate patient and provider satisfaction; however, understanding of the impact of telehealth on clinic workflows is limited. The incorporation of telehealth visits into an interprofessional model of oncology care was evaluated to assess for changes in care delivery and patient engagement. New patients with a gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis who were actively undergoing treatment and followed for at least three months were divided into two cohorts based on telehealth utilization. Individual patient charts were reviewed by touchpoint, consisting of in-person visits, telehealth visits, phone calls, and patient portal messages. A total of 28 patient charts were analyzed, 11 pre-telehealth conventional care patients, and 17 telehealth patients. Telehealth cohort patients demonstrated an increased average number of total touchpoints when compared to the pre-telehealth cohort (p-value = 0.008) and had an increased number of patient portal and phone call touchpoints (p-value = 0.00 and 0.002). Telehealth provided more interactions between patients and providers demonstrating increased connectivity between a patient and their care team throughout their complex cancer journey. Clinic workflows may need to adjust to account for the increased demand of unscheduled patient interactions.

A Novel GPPAS Model: Guiding the Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care Utilising Collaboration between General Practitioners and Community Pharmacists.

Interprofessional collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists (CPs) is central to implement antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes in primary care. This study aimed to design a GP/pharmacist antimicrobial stewardship (GPPAS) model for primary care in Australia. An exploratory study design was followed that included seven studies conducted from 2017 to 2021 for the development of the GPPAS model. We generated secondary and primary evidence through a systematic review, a scoping review, a rapid review, nationwide surveys of Australian GPs and CPs including qualitative components, and a pilot study of a GPPAS submodel. All study evidence was synthesised, reviewed, merged, and triangulated to design the prototype GPPAS model using a Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety theoretical framework. The secondary evidence provided effective GPPAS interventions, and the primary evidence identified GP/CP interprofessional issues, challenges, and future needs for implementing GPPAS interventions. The framework of the GPPAS model informed five GPPAS implementation submodels to foster implementation of AMS education program, antimicrobial audits, diagnostic stewardship, delayed prescribing, and routine review of antimicrobial prescriptions, through improved GP–CP collaboration. The GPPAS model could be used globally as a guide for GPs and CPs to collaboratively optimise antimicrobial use in primary care. Implementation studies on the GPPAS model and submodels are required to integrate the GPPAS model into GP/pharmacist interprofessional care models in Australia for improving AMS in routine primary care.