Interprofessional collaboration and health policy: results from a Quebec mixed method legal research

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is central to effective care. This practice is structured by an array of laws, regulations and policies but the literature on their impact on IPC is scarce. This study aims to illustrate the gap between the texts and clinicians’ knowledge of the legal framework using an anonymous web-based survey. The survey, sent to nurses and physicians in Quebec, Canada, focused on the IPC legal framework, legal knowledge sources and IPC perceptions or beliefs. The primary outcome was to determine the gap between the law and understanding of the law. The secondary outcome was to identify legal knowledge sources for clinicians in Quebec. A total of 267 participants filled in the survey. For knowledge acquisition, 40% of physicians turned to insurers whereas 43% of nurses turned to their regulatory body. Only 30% of physicians correctly identified what activity is reserved for physicians while 39% of nurses correctly identified their reserved activity. Regarding legal perceptions, 28% of physicians and 39% of nurses thought IPC could increase their liability. These participants have a higher tendency to name liability-related issues as barriers to IPC. These results show an important discrepancy between clinicians’ knowledge about law and policies, and the actual texts themselves. This gap can lead to misinterpretations of the law by clinicians, ineffective policy changes by policymakers and can perpetuate ineffective implementation of IPC.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional care
• interprofessional practice
• interprofessional policy
• health system
• law and Medicine
• policy analysis

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Acknowledgments

We want to thank Cecile Petitgand, Bernice Bray, and the Health-Hub: Politics, Organizations and Law at University of Montreal for allowing the interdisciplinary support needed for such research.

Declaration of interest from authors

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada – Joseph-Armand-Bombardier doctoral grant

Notes on contributors

Marie-Andrée Girard

Marie-Andrée Girard Doctoral candidate, Faculty of Law, University of Montreal, Junior researcher, Health-Hub: Politics, Organization and Law, University of Montreal Clinical Associate professor, Anesthesia and Pain Medicine department, University of Montreal

Catherine Régis

Catherine Régis Full professor, Faculty of Law, University of Montreal, Canada Research Chair in collaborative culture in health law and policy Co-director, Health-Hub: Politics, Organization and LawJean-Louis Denis Full professor, Public Health School, University of Montreal, Canada Research Chair in Governance and Transformation of Health Organizations and Systems Co-director, Health-Hub: Politics, Organization and Law.