I felt more confident that it would work for me: A Grounded Theory of Person-centered Interprofessional Collaboration Based on Patients’ Lived Experiences

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is considered the highest standard of practice for delivering care to patients with multiple, complex, and chronic conditions. Despite reported benefits of IPC, the voice of the care receiver and how or whether they experience IPC is underexplored. Our objective was to examine patients’ experiences with IPC in two rural primary care settings in the U.S., where the burden of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) is coupled with lower life expectancies and reduced access to care. We used a semi-structured interview to assess patients’ experiences within 72 hours after an IPC healthcare visit. This study, conducted in two federally qualified health centers in rural Appalachia with a university partner, explored the narratives of 21 people with MCCs. Through inductive analysis, findings were categorized as 1) Person-Centered Care Behaviors, 2) IPC Inquiry, 3) IPC Problem-Solving, and 4) IPC Consensus on a Plan of Care. Our grounded theory proposes a model of person-centered IPC that increases patients’ confidence in the IPC plan of care. This study presents evidence that IPC offers powerful inquiry and problem-solving capacity, while placing the patient at the center of the team, practicing collaboratively, and building consensus on goals and planning. Patients enjoyed working with students, an indication that mutually beneficial opportunities exist for patients, clinicians, and trainees in settings where IPC can augment care by providing interprofessional consultations in remote and underserved areas. Our findings are consistent with person-centered care, and the benefit patients find in an IPC-created care plan.