Interprofessional education in primary care for the elderly: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare professional development
• Primary care innovation
• Geriatric medicine

Background:

• The Dutch healthcare system faces challenges in elderly care demand and professional competencies.
• A shift from illness treatment to health promotion (healthy aging) is needed in primary care.
• Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for enhancing elderly care but is underutilized in the Netherlands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an IPE program for General Practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses.
• To evaluate the feasibility of IPE for professionals with diverse educational backgrounds.
• To assess the impact of IPE on the division of professional tasks and responsibilities.

Main Methods:

• A pilot IPE program was conducted with 10 GPs and 10 practice nurses from 8 primary care practices.
• The study utilized a mixed-methods design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Participants were from two northern provinces in the Netherlands.

Main Results:

• Tasks, particularly in care planning, shifted from GPs to practice nurses.
• Participant attitudes towards elderly care improved.
• A triage instrument was found to add value to care plan development.

Conclusions:

• An interprofessional education program for GPs and practice nurses is feasible.
• IPE demonstrated added value in redefining tasks and responsibilities.
• The program supports a paradigm shift towards health promotion in elderly care.