The following is a summary of “Interprofessional collaboration in primary care: what effect on patient health? A systematic literature review,” published in the November 2023 issue of Primary Care by Bouton, et al.

Amidst evolving changes in primary care organizations, Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) is increasingly recognized as a solution to address health challenges. Despite the growing number of interprofessional interventions within primary care, evidence of their impact on patient-centered outcomes is still fragmented. For a study, researchers sought to assess the effects of IPC within the primary care setting on patient-centered outcomes.

A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases from January 1, 1995, to March 1, 2021, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Included were studies reporting the effects of IPC in primary care on patient health outcomes. The revised Downs and Black checklist were utilized to assess the quality of the studies.

Analysis of 65 articles, covering 61 interventions, revealed 43 prospective and randomized studies. These were categorized into three main groups: studies involving patients at cardiovascular risk (28 studies), encompassing diabetes (18 studies) and arterial hypertension (5 studies); studies including elderly and/or polypathological patients (18 studies); and patients exhibiting symptoms of mental or physical disorders (15 studies). The number of included patients varied significantly (from 50 to 312,377). The proportion of studies reporting a positive effect of IPC on patient-centered outcomes was as follows: 23 out of 28 studies including patients at cardiovascular risk, 8 out of 18 studies of elderly or polypathological patients, and 11 out of 12 studies of patients with mental or physical disorders.

The evidence suggests that IPC is effective in managing patients at cardiovascular risk. However, in elderly or polypathological patients and those with mental or physical disorders, the number of studies is limited, and results are heterogeneous. Researchers were encouraged to conduct studies with comparative designs to enhance evidence on the positive effects and benefits of IPC on patient variables.

Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-023-02189-0