Patients' engagement in interprofessional telehealth collaboration for chronic diseases management in primary care: A patient perspective.

Abstract

The rise in chronic diseases has placed unprecedented pressure on the primary care system in Canada, being the leading cause of mortality and primary care demand. Acceleration on adopting telehealth due to the increased demand for managing chronic conditions has been observed. Further reinforcing primary healthcare's role as the central point of contact for patients. Rapid implementation without infrastructure and patient-centered support, creating inconsistent care, making interprofessional collaboration essential to ensure coordinated telehealth. Central to this approach is meaningful patient engagement communication, decision-making, and personalized care, remains underexplored in interprofessional telehealth. This study addresses that gap by exploring how patients living with chronic diseases perceive their engagement in interprofessional collaboration within telehealth driven primary care. This qualitative study partial findings from a larger research project. Using Trebble's Journey Mapping approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients who had experienced telehealth consultations. In addition to mapping their care journeys, a thematic analysis was conducted to capture patients' perceptions, experiences, and insights related to their engagement in interprofessional collaboration. The sample included 22 participants, 63.6 % women and 36.4 % men, age 50-55. Results revealed that while patients desire active partnership in care with interprofessional teams in telehealth, which in this study was delivered exclusively by telephone, collaboration and decision-making remain limited. Key factors influencing engagement included access to relevant information, involvement in care planning, and improved communication among healthcare professionals. This study reveals a misalignment between patients' desire to engage in their care regarding the interprofessional team and the current practices of healthcare in telehealth. Despite policy commitments to patient engagement, meaningful collaboration remains limited. Addressing these challenges requires strategies in professional education, communication practices, and institutional leadership. Embedding patient engagement as a core component of care is essential to realizing the full potential of interprofessional collaboration in telehealth.