Interprofessional collaboration in primary health care in Austria: a quantitative analysis

Background: Primary health care (PHC) is oriented on the 5 core functions; first contact accessibility, continuity, comprehensiveness, coordination and people centeredness. Austria’s health reform, initiated in 2013, addresses these challenges by transitioning towards team-based care within primary health care units (PHCUs), aiming to enhance the delivery of primary care through a multiprofessional approach.

Aim: The aim of the study was to provide initial, evidence-based insights into the perceptions and experi-ences of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) of professionals in PHC in Austria.

Methods: Between March and October 2023, an online questionnaire was sent to all ordinations of PHCUs in Austria, national professional associations, network partners in the educational setting and to all newsletter subscribers of the Austrian PHC platform. It was also promoted via social media plat-forms. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was carried out for professionals who were active in the past 5 years in the context of a PHCU, in the extramural sector with a strong connection to primary care, at an educational institution or in professional association on the topic of PHC. The questionnaire focused on (i) 11 different types of interprofessional activities carried out as part of IPC, which include, among others, structured and unstructured meetings, as well as joint care planning and referrals and (ii) the perception of IPC using the PINCOM-Q.

Results: 128 health care and social professionals completed the questionnaire. Among these participants, those working at a PHCU reported significantly better perceived interprofessionality. Regarding the activities in IPC, only professionals with patient contact were included. Analysis revealed significant differences between participants working at a PHCU and those in the extramural sector. Participants at the PHCU displayed greater relative frequencies in 9 activities. Furthermore, 5 activities were significantly more prevalent among participants in team positions compared to management positions. 6 activities were performed by more than half of the participants across all groups.

Conclusion: We have succeeded in providing insights into the perceptions and experiences of IPC in Austria for the first time. The results shed light on the current state of IPC within Austrian PHC and paves the way for further research and targeted interventions to strengthen collaboration and optimize interprofessional patient care delivery