Innovating Care and Education: Creating a Collaborative Practice Model in an Academic Primary Care Clinic

Title:

Innovating Care and Education: Creating a Collaborative Practice Model in an Academic Primary Care Clinic

Background:

Interprofessional collaboration is essential for comprehensive, patient-centered care, yet traditional models often lack structured integration. The Community Care Clinic at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) developed an innovative, programmatic approach, the CARE Team model, to embed whole-person care into a primary care setting. This report examines how programmatic innovation strengthens interprofessional collaboration and improves client satisfaction by allowing clients to choose their care providers aligned around their needs and wishes.

Goals, Objectives, and Purpose:

This initiative aims to formalize interprofessional collaboration through a structured, values-driven model that ensures seamless integration of family practice, care coordination, mental health, nutrition, occupational therapy, and physical therapy in a primary care setting. The objectives are to (1) cultivate a culture of interprofessional whole-person care, (2) empower clients to curate personalized care teams, and (3) evaluate the impact of this model on patient satisfaction.

Methods/Methodology:

Initially, the CARE Team model focused on fostering a culture of interprofessional whole-person care, recognizing that co-locating services alone was insufficient. To build this culture, the team established core values—Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Trustworthiness (CARE Team)—along with shared purpose and culture statements.

Once the culture was established, the team implemented a process allowing clients to select their CARE Team members. Using the PROMIS 29+2 assessment, clients identify their needs across various health domains and with the assistance of a care coordinator, they choose providers that align with their specific needs.

Findings:

The model's effectiveness is assessed through Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and the integration of interprofessional practices into workflows. Preliminary findings show that 97% of clients would recommend the clinic, highlighting high satisfaction, while structured collaboration has enhanced provider adoption of interprofessional care.

Conclusions, Implications, and/or Curiosities:

This programmatic approach to interprofessional collaboration provides a replicable framework for integrating whole-person care into primary care settings. Future research should explore scalability and long-term patient health outcomes.

Summary Paragraph:

The Community Care Clinic at UCA pioneers an innovative programmatic model for interprofessional collaboration. By embedding structured values and patient-driven care team selection, the CARE Team model fosters whole-person care. With 97% client satisfaction, this approach presents a scalable framework for integrating interprofessional collaboration into primary care settings.

References:

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