A Collective Intelligence Strategy for Evaluating and Advancing Nurse Autonomy in Primary Care

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Nursing Practice
• Primary Care Innovation

Background:

• European health systems are transitioning to proactive, person-centered care models.
• Nurse demand management (NDM) empowers nurses for autonomous population health needs response.
• Standardized evaluation tools are lacking for NDM implementation, leading to intuitive adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the adoption of NDM in primary care teams (PCTs) using the xGID instrument.
• To foster shared diagnosis, organizational reflection, and targeted recommendations through collective intelligence.
• To provide a standardized evaluation tool for NDM implementation in primary care.

Main Methods:

• The xGID instrument was designed and implemented across 47 PCTs in Catalonia.
• 1474 healthcare professionals participated in the study.
• Structured surveys assessed NDM adoption dimensions: professional autonomy, teamwork, continuity, and accessibility.

Main Results:

• Overall NDM adoption scored high at 7.6/10.
• Significant differences in NDM perception were observed across professional groups and practice areas.
• Nurses expressed concerns regarding teamwork, longitudinal care, and accessibility, highlighting their critical role and workload.

Conclusions:

• A standardized NDM evaluation tool is crucial for identifying barriers and transforming care models.
• The xGID instrument's participatory approach facilitates data-driven decision-making in clinical practice.
• NDM is positioned as a fundamental component of future primary care systems.