Quantity of collaborative practices among healthcare and social professionals in Austrian primary healthcare: a cross-sectional study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Primary healthcare (PHC) serves as the initial point of contact for patients, providing a broad range of services including prevention, rehabilitation, and continuous care for manageable conditions. It relies on an interdisciplinary approach, integrating various healthcare and social professionals (HCSPs) such as physicians, therapists, nurses, and midwives to ensure comprehensive and patient-centered care. Despite its pivotal role in healthcare systems, variations in interprofessional collaboration (IPC) within PHC settings remain underexplored, particularly in Austria. This study aims to quantitatively examine the extent and areas of IPC in Austrian PHC settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the GWS-PHC Study, which investigates IPC in PHC. A total of 102 HCSPs who worked in PHC over the past five years were surveyed. The sample included 78 individuals from primary healthcare units (PHCUs) and 24 from extramural settings (ES) with strong ties to PHC. Data was collected on the frequency and area of IPC across various professional groups. The study revealed considerable variability both in frequency and area in IPC in the Austrian PHC sector. While PHCUs tend to exhibit relatively high levels of collaboration, such integrative practices appear less pronounced in ES. In PHCUs, care coordination is often facilitated by joint efforts among diverse professional groups, whereas in ES, interprofessional interaction comparatively appears to be more constrained. Collaboration was strongest in areas such as long-term care for chronic conditions and health promotion, while areas such as fertility treatment were significantly under-represented in terms of interprofessional engagement. The findings highlight the heterogeneity of IPC within Austrian PHC settings, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to enhance collaboration in underrepresented areas. The study also underscores the importance of structural support and targeted educational programs to foster effective IPC, ensuring that healthcare providers are adequately prepared to meet the complex needs of patients in PHC settings. Furthermore, the study highlighted deficiencies in preparatory education regarding IPC competencies, indicating a need for curricular adaptations to integrate IPC training more effectively into educational programs. What are the main findings? - IPC in Austrian PHC revealed significant variability in its frequency and areas across different settings. - PHCUs exhibit higher levels of IPC, while ES show more isolated practices. - Overall, some professional groups have closer and more frequent interactions than others. - Specific areas of collaboration, such as long-term care for chronic patients and health promotion, demonstrate higher levels of IPC, while others, like fertility treatment, remain underrepresented. What are the implications for primary healthcare practices? - The findings indicate that targeted interventions are required to enhance the IPC in PHCUs and ES. - The study underscores the necessity for improving education and training regarding IPC competencies, ensuring that healthcare professionals are better prepared to collaborate effectively in PHC environments.
Source: BMC Family Practice
Authors: Melanie Roth, Marlene Brunner, Johanna Bodenhofer, Daniela Huber
Institution: Fachhochschule Salzburg
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,790
OpenAlex ID: W4417043726