Enhancing Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Primary Health Care

Background: Dietitians of Canada has endorsed the Principles and Framework for Enhancing Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Primary Health Care (EICP) created by the EICP Initiative. The Initiative focused on the conditions required for health professionals to work together in the most effective and efficient way, so that they can produce the best health outcomes for individuals and their families - the patients, clients, and consumers of our national health system. The Initiative was spearheaded by a Steering Committee of 11 national health professional organizations, and brought together leaders, health professionals, and key stakeholders in Canada's primary health care system in a change process designed to facilitate more interdisciplinary collaboration. Principles and Framework: In the context of the EICP Initiative, the Principles are values shared by stakeholders. They are critical to the establishment of collaboration and teamwork to achieve the best health outcomes. The elements of the Principles are patient/client engagement, a population health approach, the best possible care and services, access, trust and respect, and effective communication. The Framework builds upon these Principles and is composed of the structural and process elements required to support collaborative primary health care. The elements of the Framework are health human resources, funding, liability, regulation, information and communications technology, management and leadership, and planning and evaluation. Conclusions: The Boards of Directors of the ten health professions leading the EICP Initiative agreed upon die values and key structural and process elements that need to be put in place to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration in Primary Health Care in Canada. Dietitians of Canada will continue to seek opportunities to further the change process started by EICP. Approximately 40 research papers and a toolkit to help primary health care providers work together have been produced.