Shifting ground, common ground. Understanding the evolving care practice. Inter-country comparative study Canada USA and Australia (Canadian Institute for Health Research)

Project Status
Completed

Rationale

This inter-country comparative study draws on existing research studies that the investigators are conducting into primary health care reform. It focuses on the development of multidisciplinary team work in primary care.

Aims

The study had two main objectives:

To perform a synthesis of comparable studies to better understand the impact of primary healthcare reform on the organization, routines and relationships within primary care practices in different health care settings.

To use the findings of the synthesis to underpin a collaborative program of work designed to assess the common enabling factors that facilitate optimal performance of contemporary primary care practices within different healthcare settings.

Design and Method

An international collaboration was formed with primary care researchers in Australia, United States and three Canadian provinces. Utilising a mixed methods approach, researchers synthesized key findings from 11 selected studies by researchers in their diverse settings. The study sample incorporated comprehensive data sets using qualitative and mixed methods research approaches framed within a primary care reform context. Our analysis focuses on the innovation of team work in practices across five international jurisdictions.