Clinical management review
Models for Integrating Rehabilitation and Primary Care: A Scoping Study

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2009.03.017Get rights and content

Abstract

McColl MA, Shortt S, Godwin M, Smith K, Rowe K, O'Brien P, Donnelly C. Models for integrating rehabilitation and primary care: a scoping study.

Objective

To describe the scope and breadth of knowledge currently available regarding the integration of rehabilitation and primary care services.

Data Sources

Peer-reviewed journals were searched using CINAHL, MEDLINE, and EBM Reviews for the years 1995 through 2007. This process identified 172 items.

Study Selection

To be considered for the subsequent review, the article had to describe a service delivery program that offered primary care and rehabilitation, or services specifically designed for people with chronic conditions/disabilities. Further, it had to be available in English or French. No methodological limitations were applied to screen for levels of evidence.

Data Extraction

Based on these criteria, 38 articles remained that pertained to both primary care and rehabilitation. These were reviewed, sorted, and categorized to discover commonalities and differences among the approaches used to integrating rehabilitation into primary care.

Data Synthesis

In consultation with the team of investigators, it was determined that there were 6 different models for providing primary health care and rehabilitation services in an integrated approach: clinic, outreach, self-management, community-based rehabilitation, shared care, and case management. In addition, a number of themes were identified across models that may act as either supports or impediments to the integration of rehabilitation services into primary care settings: team approach, interprofessional trust, leadership, communication, compensation, accountability, referrals, and population-based approach.

Conclusions

Rehabilitation providers interested in working in the primary care sector may be assisted in conceptualizing the benefits that they bring to the setting by considering these models and issues.

Section snippets

Methods

The scoping study is an emerging methodology for literature synthesis,20 defined as a way of mapping key concepts within a research area by assembling multiple sources and types of evidence available. The emphasis of a scoping study is on comprehensive coverage, rather than on a particular standard of evidence. This approach permits identification of strengths and weaknesses in a body of literature, as well as high-level conceptual observations. Concepts that emerge from the review may either

Clinic

The most common model for integrating rehabilitation services and primary care is the clinic approach. The typical configuration of this type of practice is for a rehabilitation professional, such as an occupational or physical therapist, to work out of an examining room in a family practice. The key to this model is that family physicians and rehabilitation professionals are colocated, resulting in a geographically defined team. The role of professionals is to exercise their usual scope of

Discussion

In summary, we undertook an extensive review of rehabilitation and primary care literature covering a 13-year period. Six models were identified for integrating rehabilitation and primary care services, to better serve the health needs of people with chronic diseases and disabilities. The most common models were clinic and outreach. Less common, but worthy of consideration were case management, self-management, shared care, and CBR.

A number of themes were identified across models that may act

Conclusions

Despite the enumerated challenges, this review offers 6 ways in which those committed to the service of people with disabilities might relate to one another in a community primary health care setting. The default approach, and by far the most common, is the clinic approach. Although this approach is familiar to virtually all types of health professionals, it is only one way to promote the collaborative care that is so clearly advocated as the means to not only enhance the provision of primary

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    Supported by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ontario Rehabilitation Research and Advisory Network, and Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.

    No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.

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