Grant: Catalyst Grant: Primary and Community-Based Healthcare

General practitioners (GPs) and home health staff (HHS - home care nurses, community occupational and physical therapists, case managers) share complex acute and chronically ill patients, but experience significant barriers to collaborative care. This study will bring together a team of researchers, policy makers and providers to assess the effectiveness of applying high quality, secure audioconferencing at recurring, prescheduled times along with a structured process for communicating between GPs and HHS. The study will involve HHS and a convenience sample of 40 GPs providing service in South Vancouver. Following a baseline measurement period, GPs will be assigned to an intervention group or usual communication group. Outcome measures will include whether there is a significant increase in shared patients, communication about shared patients, and in satisfaction with collaboration between GPs and HHS. The study involves a research partnership between a health authority, researchers and a telecommunications company, and an advisory committee of policymakers and managers. Objectives of the study will be to determine critical factors for sustaining and spreading this intervention, if effective, to disseminate the new knowledge generated through provincial and national associations, and to generate new research projects in primary/community care using the team developed through this project.