Promoting collaboration in the primary care team–the role of the practice meeting

Abstract

This paper examines the significance of the practice meeting for collaboration within primary care teams. Using interviews with health professionals and a case management vignette representing an elderly patient, the presence and frequency of multidisciplinary meetings was found to be important in two respects. First, they were identified by team members as being the single most important mechanism for the promotion of collaboration within their teams. Second, they were associated with a greater awareness among the health professionals of the range of services available to their elderly patients. It is argued that the introduction or expansion of such meetings would enhance the effectiveness of primary care teams.

Key Words:

• Collaboration
• practice meetings
• primary care team