M. van Scherpenseel1, R. Zuidema2, D.-J. Barten1, S. te Velde1
1HU University of Applied Sciences, Research Group Innovation of Human Movement Care, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2HU University of Applied Sciences, Research Group Proactive Care for Elderly eople Living at Home, Utrecht, Netherlands
Background: Falls among community-dwelling older adults are one of the most important global public health concerns. There is robust evidence that exercise programs are one of the most effective ways to prevent falls. Most often, physiotherapists provide this type of interventions. However, due to the multifactorial nature of falls, other risk factors also need to be addressed, which makes integrated and effective fall prevention practices (FPPs) in the community a joint effort between physiotherapists and other health and social care professionals. Therefore, interprofessional collaboration practices (ICPs) are essential. Specific attention to optimizing ICPs could improve local, integrated FPPs. A characteristic of interprofessional collaboration is the network structure in which different professionals are positioned.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to twofold:
1) provide insight into underlying structures that develop over time within local interprofessional networks, with specific attention to the role of physiotherapists, and
2) to develop practical guidance to improve interprofessional collaborative practices in the community regarding fall prevention practices.
1) provide insight into underlying structures that develop over time within local interprofessional networks, with specific attention to the role of physiotherapists, and
2) to develop practical guidance to improve interprofessional collaborative practices in the community regarding fall prevention practices.
Methods: First, within the FRIEND-project (Fall pRevention ImplEmentatioN stuDy), multiple interprofessional teams consisting of health and social care professionals involved in FPP in three communities in The Netherlands were established. In each team, at least one physiotherapist was included. Then, with the teams, theoretical implementation strategies were selected and in co-creation translated to practical actions aimed at improving ICP. To provide insight into this network development over time, a Social Network Analysis (SNA) survey was distributed at baseline and after six months, which measures, among other things, the number of contacts between professionals.
Results: At baseline and 6 months, 26 professionals completed the SNA. Interpretation of the SNA-data resulted in a diagrammatic representation of the local networks, which visualized the number of contacts between professionals. Preliminary findings show that, next to physiotherapists, primary care and community nurses also play a central role in local FPP. It also demonstrates which links are still missing and therefore, which discipline is underrepresented in ICP. The co-creation sessions resulted in practical actions to improve ICP:
1) engagement in local interprofessional teams;
2) following an interprofessional training;
3) establishing referral pathways and
4) creating a health and social care map.
1) engagement in local interprofessional teams;
2) following an interprofessional training;
3) establishing referral pathways and
4) creating a health and social care map.
Conclusions: In co-creation with local professionals, we established a set of four recommendations that are considered to be essential for fostering ICP. The SNA can be used to gain insight into the development of networks and ICP over time. Physiotherapists play a significant and central role in the context of FPPs in the community, given the various tasks they may be responsible for, such as fall risk screening, appropriate referral and providing interventions.
Implications: The SNA provides insight into which collaborative relationships physiotherapists have in the context of fall prevention, but also which relevant relationships are still absent, such as links with the social care domain. These findings indicate the importance for physiotherapists to begin exploring, setting up and optimizing local and regional ICPs in the field of fall prevention, and provides inspiration what unique actions might be needed to do so.
Funding acknowledgements: This research is funded by the Taskforce for Applied Research SIA, part of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
Keywords:
Interprofessional collaboration
Fall prevention
Community
Interprofessional collaboration
Fall prevention
Community
Topics:
Primary health care
Service delivery/emerging roles
Older people
Primary health care
Service delivery/emerging roles
Older people
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: HU University of Applied Sciences
Committee: Ethical Committee Research Healthcare Domain (ECO-GD)
Ethics number: 113-001-2020
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
