Empowering HCPs - Collaboration between Patients and Healthcare Professionals in Diabetes Management

Effective Collaboration in Diabetes Management

Effective collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals is crucial for successful diabetes management. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes, it is essential to establish a partnership where patients are actively involved in their care alongside healthcare providers. This collaboration empowers patients to take ownership of their health and encourages them to adhere to treatment plans, leading to improved outcomes. By fostering open communication and shared decision-making, healthcare professionals can gain valuable insights into the patient's lifestyle, preferences, and challenges, enabling them to tailor personalized care plans. In turn, patients benefit from individualized support and guidance, enhancing their understanding of the condition and promoting self-management. This article will explore the significance of patient-professional collaboration in diabetes management, highlighting its impact on treatment adherence, lifestyle modifications, and overall well-being.

Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration in healthcare, particularly in primary care settings, plays a crucial role in improving patient care and outcomes. Research has shown that interprofessional collaboration requires the allocation of space, defining team member roles, understanding each professional’s scope of practice, interprofessional interaction, and knowledge exchange between professionals. Facilitators of interprofessional collaboration in primary care include sharing a common interest in collaboration, opportunities to improve patient care, and the development of new professional skills. Factors influencing collaboration between family physicians and family practice nurses include a clear definition of nurses’ roles and responsibilities, trust, respect, and communication. Hierarchical structures, perceived lack of education, and legal liabilities have negatively influenced the ability to collaborate. Additionally, the increased role of nurses and diabetes educators has been reported to facilitate collaboration for diabetes care, while lack of patient motivation and awareness of lifestyle programs hinder collaboration. Patients’ preferences also influence collaboration among health professionals.

Furthermore, collaborative practice has been significantly associated with an increase in both patient satisfaction and the mental well-being component of the health-related quality of life. The integrated care model has been proposed as a potential solution to the fragmentation of diabetes services and the involvement of numerous specialists. Interprofessional collaboration interventions for the management of type 2 diabetes in primary care settings have shown promising results in improving patient-reported outcomes, including the routine collection of e-PROs by healthcare providers to monitor patient symptoms and promote a patient-centered approach. Additionally, the interprofessional approach has been associated with an increase in self-care and quality of life for patients with diabetes.

Physicians have also found that readily accessible programs within primary care networks (PCNs) have eased the process of coordinating patient referrals and expedited prompt care, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in facilitating patient management. Overall, the evidence supports the benefits of team-based care and interprofessional collaborative practice in improving patient care quality and outcomes.

Roles in Collaboration

Family physicians play a critical role in primary care teams, but there is limited research on their function in interprofessional teams. Establishing collaborative working relationships within the team is essential and depends on trust, respect, effective communication, and understanding of team member roles and responsibilities.

Interprofessional collaboration within the primary care network (PCN) setting needs further examination. Studies indicate that family physicians affiliated with a PCN involve other health professionals in the care of patients with T2DM to a greater degree than those not affiliated with a PCN. This highlights the importance of supporting physicians' access to other health professionals in the primary care setting to facilitate interprofessional collaboration and improve patient care.

However, the degree of collaboration, while comparatively greater among family physicians working as part of a team, is not very high in absolute terms. Factors such as trust, effective communication, and clear role definitions contribute to the extent of collaboration. Additionally, family physicians perceive themselves to have a leadership role in the health care team, which may influence the nature and extent of interprofessional collaboration. Overcoming traditionally-engrained professional roles poses a challenge to interprofessional teamwork, but if successfully implemented, it can improve the quality of patient care and increase patient and provider satisfaction.

Barriers to Effective Collaboration

Interprofessional collaboration in primary care settings, particularly for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), faces several barriers and facilitators. The allocation of space, defining team member roles, understanding each professional’s scope of practice, interprofessional interaction, and knowledge exchange between professionals are essential for effective collaboration. Facilitators of interprofessional collaboration include sharing a common interest in collaboration, opportunities to improve patient care, and the development of new professional skills. However, hierarchical structures, perceived lack of education, legal liabilities, and patient-related factors such as motivation and preferences can hinder collaboration.

The study findings reveal that family physicians affiliated with a primary care network report greater involvement of other health professionals in the care of patients with T2DM, indicating that supporting physicians’ access to other health professionals facilitates interprofessional collaboration. However, factors such as trust, effective communication, and clear role definitions significantly influence the extent of collaboration. Additionally, power dynamics, trust, and provider continuity are identified as barriers to interprofessional care and medication management of patients with T2DM.

Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of team-based care and interprofessional collaborative practice in managing chronic conditions. It highlights the need for health professionals to understand the complexities of chronic illnesses and gain the necessary skills to provide effective care. Co-location in a team-based model is valued for fostering teamwork and trust in the skillsets of other health professionals, while the support provided by other health professionals for patient education on medication and illness management is also recognized as beneficial.

While there is significant potential to increase interprofessional team collaboration in the care of patients with T2DM, various barriers such as hierarchical structures, lack of education, legal liabilities, patient-related factors, power dynamics, and lack of provider continuity need to be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of collaboration in primary care settings.

Benefits of Collaborative Approach

Collaborative practice has been shown to be significantly associated with an increase in both patient satisfaction and in the mental well-being component of the health-related quality-of-life, as indicated by a systematic review and meta-analysis. The adoption of empowerment, patient engagement, and community engagement has been reported in many studies, with interventions targeting individuals, groups, and communities. Routine collection of e-PROs by healthcare providers can help improve the quality of care through symptom monitoring, identification of unmet needs, and fostering a patient-centered approach. In the context of an aging population and resource constraints, promoting policies to enhance the widespread adoption of a collaborative approach is crucial. Team-based care and interprofessional collaborative practice are essential for managing patients with chronic conditions, as they require continued interactions with the healthcare system and ongoing adjustments in daily life. The adoption of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can elicit the patients' perspective and improve the delivery of patient-centered care.

Interprofessional collaboration in primary care requires the allocation of space, defining team member roles, understanding each professional's scope of practice, and knowledge exchange between professionals. Facilitators of interprofessional collaboration include shared interest, opportunities to improve patient care, and the development of new professional skills. Factors influencing collaboration between family physicians and family practice nurses include clear definition of roles, trust, respect, and communication, while hierarchical structures and lack of education can hinder collaboration. In diabetes care, the role of nurses and diabetes educators has been reported to facilitate collaboration, while patient motivation and awareness of lifestyle programs can hinder collaboration.

Collaborative medication management involving pharmacists and physicians has been shown to improve processes of care and patient outcomes in diabetes management. However, understanding the team processes and factors influencing teamwork and medication management practices in the care of patients with T2DM is essential for effective interprofessional team-based care. Physicians have articulated the benefits of sharing patient education responsibilities with other team members, such as chronic disease management nurses and pharmacists, to meet patients' educational needs.

Conclusion

Effective collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals is crucial for successful diabetes management. Platforms like Enhance-d offer valuable resources and tools to facilitate this collaboration. By providing a free online dashboard and opportunities for user input, Enhance-d empowers individuals with diabetes to take an active role in managing their condition. For those seeking a comprehensive platform for diabetes management, reaching out to Enhance-d can be the first step toward better management and improved quality of life.