Interprofessional Health Care Delivery: Perceptions of oral health care integration in a Federally Qualified Health Center

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic case study was to explore the perceptions of a team of interprofessional healthcare providers regarding how oral health care was integrated into health care provided within a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Brighton, Colorado.

Methods: Data were gathered through one-on-one, semi-structured personal interviews, which were recorded and professionally transcribed for evaluation. Purposive sampling included physicians, physician assistants, dentists, and dental hygienists. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the sample demographics. An inductive and deductive approach was utilized to assess the qualitative data and subsequently develop themes. Validity was established using triangulation, member checks, and peer review of data and themes by co-investigators.

Results: Eight participants (n=8) were interviewed. Subjects were between the ages of 31 and 58 and had been practicing between 5 and 30 years with an average of 13.6 years and had been employed by the FQHC an average of 6.8 years. Thematic analysis revealed seven themes: interprofessional collaboration supports patient care, immediate consultations lead to improved outcomes for all, shared expertise to optimize care delivery, oral health is health, increased communication through collocation, role clarity does not impede team functioning, and mission driven to provide excellent care. These themes support the domains of patient centered care, communication, and the role clarity of the Interprofessional Care Competency Framework and Team Assessment Toolkit (ICCFTAT).

Conclusion: Findings from this study can aid FQHC’s in the implementation of integrated oral health care delivery systems. Further research is needed to understand how interprofessional health care collaboration (IPHC) affects the team dynamic in FQHC settings.