Activities to Promote Interprofessional Practice at Primary Healthcare Level: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Currently, there is a trend towards interprofessional practice. Consequently, healthcare professionals must devise strategies to deal with the challenges faced in the public health sector. Investigating the ways in which healthcare professionals promote interprofessional care principles to manage patient care outcomes is crucial. Primary healthcare is a significant level of health service delivery, therefore, the implementation of interprofessional practice at this level is especially important. In this review, we aim to explore and describe the activities outlined in the literature, which are used to promote interprofessional practice at primary healthcare level. A systematic search of seven databases was conducted for articles published between 2008 and 2021. All articles with a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methodology, a primary healthcare facility study setting, and full-text availability were included. A methodological appraisal tool was adapted from the RE-AIM framework. Twelve studies were included in the final review. Interprofessional clinics, interprofessional collaborative practices, collaborative care processes, and interprofessional team training were the primary activities identified in the review. These studies aimed to promote interprofessional practice in healthcare settings through various activities. There was limited information regarding the efficiency of the activities. According to the findings, undertaking interprofessional collaborative practice models appears to be the most practicable strategy for implementing interprofessional activities. It is crucial that facility management support this endeavour for its implementation to be successful.