The impact of interprofessional practice models on health service inequity: an integrative systematic review

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this review was to explore the literature for evidence of the impact of interprofessional practice models on health service inequity, particularly within community care settings for diverse ageing populations.Design/methodology/approachAn integrative systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework combined with the EndNote reference management system. Following the collection and comprehensive screening process completion, a thematic analysis of the included articles occurred utilising within NVivo 12 software.FindingsThe review found that there was a paucity of evidence related to the relationship between interprofessional practice models (IPM) and health service equity for ageing populations. There is a need to improve collaborative practices between social care, public health care and health service providers to more clearly define team member roles. Key aspirations included the need for future innovations in health service delivery to place health service equity as a goal for interprofessional practice. There is a need to find ways to measure and articulate the impact for vulnerable populations and communities.Research limitations/implicationsThe review offers insight into the need for health care delivery models to place health service equity at the centre of the model design. In practice settings, this includes setting interprofessional team goals around achieving equitable care outcomes for, and with, vulnerable populations. Implications for practice relate to improving how interprofessional teams work with communities to achieve health care equity.Originality/valueThere is a consensus across the literature that there continues to be health service inequity, yet IPE and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPC) have been growing in momentum for some time. Despite many statements that there is a link between interprofessional practice and improved health service equity and health outcomes, evidence for this is yet to be fully realised. This review highlights the urgent need to review the link between education and practice, and innovative health models of care that enable heath care professionals and social care providers to work together towards achieving health equity for ageing populations. It is clear that more evidence is required to establish evidence for best practice in interprofessional care that has the mitigation of health care inequity as a central objective.

Interprofessional Treatment of Malnutrition and Sarcopenia by Dietitians and Physiotherapists: Exploring Attitudes, Interprofessional Identity, Facilitators, Barriers, and Occurrence

“… 47 , 48 The importance of commitment is also reported in other studies on interprofessional collaboration. 20 A shared commitment and shared identity are reported as two of six important enablers of interprofessional collaboration. However, based on several psychological theories and evidence, commitment is a dimension of a social identity.…”

“… 19 This integration also includes setting interprofessional team goals around achieving equitable care outcomes for, and with, vulnerable populations. 20 …”

Interprofessional nursing education and the role of swift trust and task conflict in team creativity: the mediating role of team interactive behaviors

“…Further, Green et al (2017) argue that inadequate communication and interaction among nurses can lead to errors in healthcare delivery, negatively affecting patients. Additionally, miscommunication and poor interaction attitudes among team members can hinder the production of quality outcomes (Carey and Taylor, 2021). Therefore, nursing education plays a crucial role in enhancing communication among team members and improving the delivery of healthcare services (Liu, 2020).…”

“…The international consensus on the importance of enhancing collaboration among healthcare professionals is well-established, for it has significant positive effects on healthcare outcomes, such as patients' quality of life and overall survival (Efficace et al, 2021;Fox et al, 2018;Homeyer et al, 2018). By promoting effective collaboration, healthcare providers can substantially decrease mortality rates, lower morbidity rates and minimize medication errors, ultimately resulting in improved patient care quality and enhanced creative performance by nurses (Carey and Taylor, 2021;Lee et al, 2019).…”

Editorial

“…Cookson and colleagues suggest that using such methodology will ensure decision-making is informed by evidence on effectiveness, efficiency and equity and associated trade-offs. Carey and Taylor (2021) present findings from a systematic review that focused on the impact of interprofessional practice models on health service inequity. Interprofessional practice is increasingly utilised to improve the effectiveness of health systems, especially when limited specialist services are available and when demand is high.…”