Are all the key players involved?
Provision of best practice in both prevention and management of chronic illness would add an additional 9–10 hours to a normal day,106,107 making it difficult to provide high levels of prevention outside a partnership approach. Partnerships and collaboration operate at different levels: between the GP and patient; PNs and patient; GPs, PNs and practice team; and between the practice, PHN and/or the broader community and the health system.
There is evidence that when GPs and PNs regard patients as active partners in seeking preventive healthcare advice, patients are more likely to adhere to treatment plans.108,109 This requires teamwork and respect for others’ ideas and views.110 Referring to, and communicating with, certain services and community agencies may be the most cost effective way of providing particular types of prevention activities for patients. Improving the integration of preventive activities through greater collaboration leads to enhanced effectiveness and efficiency.96,111
To what extent does the practice coordinate with other services and agencies?
A range of other players and agencies are involved in promoting health and preventing disease. A number of studies40,112 have demonstrated that collaboration and teamwork is associated with the largest gains in prevention outcomes. Partnerships are associated with improved delivery of care.