title: Increasing collaboration between health professionals: Clues and challenges.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scholars have recently started to pay more attention in the potential of the inter-professional relationship between general practitioners and specialists to improve outcomes, through consideration given to the effect on prescribing practices. However, more empirical research is needed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore inter-professional network factors that may explain effects on General Practitioners prescription behaviours.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study was conducted in an integrated diabetes care program. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews from 16 health practices and a hospital diabetes clinic, using a convenience sample of general practitioners, practices nurses, diabetes nurse specialists and endocrinologists. A conceptual mapping was performed to identify factors underlying networks and effects on patient outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four themes with their concepts emerged from the conceptual map. These demonstrated the need for building effective channels of communication to share experience and knowledge timely in diabetes care. Communication, collaboration and coordination are critical factors to influence prescription behaviours within primary and secondary care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  conceptual mapping allowed understanding factors that might explain how links between health professionals can improve patient outcomes at the primary and secondary care interface.
authors: Medical Doctor and Surgeon. Master in Management and Business Administration. PhD in Health Sciences. The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Nelson Alberto
authors: NA
authors: Aguirre-Duarte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards; D013038:Specialization
keywords: Coordination; Health networks; Integrated health care systems; collaboration; communication