Who are the healthcare professionals involved in interprofessional team meetings in French multidisciplinary primary care centres? A quantitative analysis of eight centres

Background: Interprofessional collaboration is crucial for providing high-quality care to patients with complex conditions in primary care. In France, multidisciplinary primary care centres (MPCC) receive funding if they organise at least 6 interprofessional team meetings (ITM) per year to discuss complex patient situations and collectively define care strategies. It remains unclear how ITM have been implemented in France. This study analyses healthcare professionals’ involvement in ITMs within MPCCs. Method: A multicenter retrospective quantitative study in 8 French MPCCs based on the analysis of ITM reports for the period from 2018 to 2019 was conducted. Results: 1733 patients’situations (n=1733 cases) discussed during ITMs were analysed. The 8 MPCCs were heterogeneous in terms of geographical location, creation date, and size (3 MPCCs with >20,000 patients followed by more than 60 professionals and 3 MPCCs with <20 professionals). On average, five healthcare professionals attended each ITM, with huge variations among MPCCs. The nurse-general practitioner (GP) pair was central. At least one GP was present at 89% (n=1469) and nurses at 38.15% (n=630) of ITMs. Participation of other professionals was less frequent and varied according to the MPCC. Physiotherapists were present at 7.8% of ITMs, and other healthcare professionals were present at <6% of ITMs, including pharmacists (3% of ITMs). In some cases, external healthcare professionals, particularly those related to mental health, were also involved in ITMs. Conclusions: Depending on the MPCC, the professionals involved in ITM vary widely, with the nurse-GP pair at the centre. The relative absence of certain professionals needs to be analysed in order to encourage interprofessional working. Trial registration: not applicable.