How patients experience nurse-doctor collaborative care at specialist clinics: A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience Research
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Patient experience in primary care interprofessional collaboration is well-documented.
• Limited research exists on patient experience within specialist clinic settings.
• This study focuses on nurse-doctor collaboration in Singaporean tertiary neurology specialist clinics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patients' experiences with nurse-doctor collaboration in specialist clinics.
• To understand factors influencing patient receptivity to interprofessional collaboration.
• To identify strategies for optimizing patient experience in collaborative care models.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing observation and interviews.
• Maximum variation sampling recruited participants from Epilepsy, Neuroimmunology, and Persistent Concussion Clinics.
• Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze data from 27 observed and 12 interviewed patients.

Main Results:

• Patient receptivity to collaboration varied based on perceived healthcare needs.
• Most patients valued collaborative care for efficiency and support, but those with active disease preferred doctor-led treatment.
• Lack of formal introduction to interprofessional collaboration (IPC) reduced patient awareness of nurses' roles and weakened receptivity.

Conclusions:

• Patient experience of IPC in specialist clinics is influenced by perceived healthcare needs.
• Calibrating collaborative care to meet diverse patient needs can optimize its value.
• Proactive patient preparation and clear communication are essential for enhancing receptivity to IPC.