Interprofessional Collaborative Relationship-Building Model in Action in Primary Care: A Secondary Analysis

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Interprofessional Education and Practice
• Primary Health Care

Background:

• Team-based care is integral to Canadian primary care (PC), enhancing patient safety, effectiveness, efficiency, person-centeredness, and equity.
• Effective interpersonal relationships among team members are crucial for realizing the full benefits of integrated PC.
• Limited tools exist to guide the development of collaborative interprofessional relationships within PC teams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively analyze the experiences of a primary care team integrating occupational therapists (OT) and physical therapists (PT).
• To understand the developmental stages of interprofessional relationships within a primary care setting using the Interprofessional Collaborative Relationship-building Model (ICRB).

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis of 11 interviews from a primary care team at a university-affiliated family medicine teaching clinic.
• The team comprised physicians, nurses, a social worker, a mental health counselor, occupational therapists, and a physical therapist.
• Directed content analysis using the ICRB model, involving data preparation, organization, and presentation.

Main Results:

• The team progressed through ICRB stages: Looking For Help, Fitting-In, and Growing Reciprocity, gaining understanding of OT and PT contributions.
• Co-location served as the context for relationship-building, rather than a distinct developmental stage as initially proposed by the ICRB.
• Communication and patient focus facilitated relationship development, fostering shared values and role clarity, though collaborative leadership was not yet established.

Conclusions:

• Co-location, patient focus, and open communication were key facilitators for team development, particularly with new OT and PT members.
• While Growing Reciprocity was achieved, collaborative leadership remains an area for future development and research.
• Establishing collaborative leadership is vital for enhancing patient care quality and improving team member work satisfaction.