Improving inter-professional collaboration in Primary Care

Abstract

Primary care is the central pillar of health care. The increasingly complex health needs of the population and the individual patient in a changing society can only be met by promoting Inter professional Collaboration (IpC) within PC teams. The aim of this Position Paper of the European Forum for Primary Care (EFPC) is to analyse how to improve IpC within PC teams. Clarification of the concept is the first step. Conditions to improve IpC are based on education of health care professionals, adapting human resources and the occupational structure and skill mix. These conditions and contextual factors have a major influence on the development of IpC. They can be developed and organised at different levels: national, regional, or team level. A framework is also needed to evaluate the level of collaboration within the team. Examples of good practices throughout Europe issued from the EFPC network illustrates this.