Providing primary care using an interprofessional collaborative practice model: What clinicians have learned.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Primary Care
• Interprofessional Education

Background:

• Medically indigent populations face significant barriers to accessing primary care.
• Nurse-led initiatives are crucial for addressing healthcare disparities.
• Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) models can enhance care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail a nurse-led, interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) model for primary care.
• To describe the development and implementation of this model in Birmingham, Alabama.
• To explore the qualitative experiences and learning of interprofessional clinicians involved in the IPCP model.

Main Methods:

• A nurse-led, interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) model was developed.
• The model incorporated three primary care teams with diverse faculty clinicians.
• Qualitative data were collected through annual structured interviews with clinician faculty over three years.

Main Results:

• Experienced clinicians from multiple disciplines reported significant learning and growth.
• Understanding of interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) deepened through collaborative care experiences.
• The qualitative data highlighted the benefits of team-based care for clinicians.

Conclusions:

• The nurse-led IPCP model effectively provided primary care to a vulnerable population.
• Interprofessional collaboration fostered professional growth and enhanced understanding of team-based care.
• This model demonstrates a successful approach to addressing primary care needs for the medically indigent.