Interprofessional partnerships in chronic illness care: a conceptual model for measuring partnership effectiveness.
BACKGROUND
Interprofessional health and social service partnerships (IHSSP) are internationally acknowledged as integral for comprehensive chronic illness care. However, the evidence-base for partnership effectiveness is lacking. This paper aims to clarify partnership measurement issues, conceptualize IHSSP at the front-line staff level, and identify tools valid for group process measurement.


METHODS
A systematic literature review utilizing three interrelated searches was conducted. Thematic analysis techniques were supported by NVivo 7 software. Complexity theory was used to guide the analysis, ground the new conceptualization and validate the selected measures. Other properties of the measures were critiqued using established criteria.


RESULTS
There is a need for a convergent view of what constitutes a partnership and its measurement. The salient attributes of IHSSP and their interorganizational context were described and grounded within complexity theory. Two measures were selected and validated for measurement of proximal group outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper depicts a novel complexity theory-based conceptual model for IHSSP of front-line staff who provide chronic illness care. The conceptualization provides the underpinnings for a comprehensive evaluative framework for partnerships. Two partnership process measurement tools, the PSAT and TCI are valid for IHSSP process measurement with consideration of their strengths and limitations.
Butt
Gail
G
School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Associate Director, BC Hepatitis Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 West 12 Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R9 Canada.
Markle-Reid
Maureen
M
Browne
Gina
G