For a study, researchers sought to learn more about how patients with chronic illnesses interact with their primary care providers through Interprofessional Collaborative Practice. An integrative review was done to synthesize preliminary studies that used qualitative, quantitative, and mixed techniques. On June 1st, 2021, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched. Eligible studies were empirical full-text primary care studies in any language published in any year that reported experiences or views of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice by adult patients with a chronic disease. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Investigators gathered patients’ experiences and impressions of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in primary care, and the results were thematically analyzed using a meta-synthesis. With 3,803 individuals, 48 studies (n=48) met the inclusion criteria. Individual studies’ quality was hampered by research design, insufficient reporting, and the possibility of positive publication bias. Inductively, 3 themes and sub-themes were developed: Conversing with Healthcare Teams, subthemes: broadening the network, linking with professionals, looking beyond the condition, and collectively overcoming chronic conditions; Appreciating Easy Healthcare, subthemes: sharing space and time, care planning creates structure, coordinating care, appreciating the role of the general practitioner, and facilitating healthcare; Involving Self-care, subthemes: engaging passively was circumstantial, and engaging activities and leading a healthy lifestyle. Interprofessional Collaborative Practice was overwhelmingly positive in patients’ eyes, indicating appropriate for chronic condition management in primary care. The role of the patient in controlling their chronic condition was inextricably related to their personal experience. Future research should look into how the patient role affects patients, caregivers, and health professionals’ experiences in the situation.
Source:bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-021-01595-6
