Short summary

The "At FRONTEDGE"-project is a major cooperative project between the Hospital of Southern Denmark, the four municipalities in Southern Jutland Haderslev, Tønder, Aabenraa and Sønderborg, The general practitioners in these municipalities, University College South, Research Unit of Health Promotion and Research Unit of General Practice at the University of Southern Denmark. 

The project consists of three Ph.D.-studies who cover either the Healthcare professionals', the patients' or the relatives' perspectives on intersectoral collaboration and continuum of care before, during and after acute admission of the elderly. The present study covers the perspectives of the healthcare professionals.

Rationale

Background: The density of elderly citizens is increasing. The group of >65-year olds represent 20% of the Danish population which is expected to be 25% in 2040. The use of HealthCare resources increases by age. Statistics Denmark estimates, that 90% of the >90-yearolds will be admitted during a year. This is a challenge for the Danish HealthCare System, which constantly needs to produce more for fewer resources. 

Organizational and structural changes of HealthCare in Denmark means, that elderly patients are often treated by a multiple number of actors, connected to several specializations. To prevent adverse health outcome as example given functional decline, continuum of care is important for the elderly who are acutely admitted. Continuum of care is mostly challenged when patients transition between responsible actors and efficient intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration is important.

Barriers for continuum of care are a threat for patient safety and have been addressed in other studies. The scope in the other studies have often been on medication error, communication or evaluation of interventions as interprofessional teams, post-discharge follow-up, staff training etc. The needs of the patients have been assessed as well. Assessing the perspectives of the healthcare professionals have showed, that communication and coordination is essential for continuum of care, but a more in-depth analyzation of the area across professions and sectoral boarders in the perspectives of healthcare professionals in a Danish context is still needed.

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the healthcare professionals' perspectives on and experience with intersectoral, interdisciplinary collaboration and continuum of care before, during and after acute admission of elderly >75-year olds. Needs, facilitators and barriers for intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration and continuum of care will be addressed in the study.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Public Health, SDU

• Associate professor, Pernille Tanggaard Andersen, PhD

Focused Research Unit in Emergency Medicine, Hospital of Southern Jutland, Institute for Regional Health Research, SDU

• Associate professor Christian Backer Mogensen, PhD.

Focused Research Unit in Emergency Medicine, Hospital of Southern Jutland, Institute for Regional Health Research, SDU, 

• PostDoc Helene Skjøt-Arkil, PhD

Research Unit for General Practice, SDU, Professor

• Jens Søndergaard, PhD

Publications associated with the project

Persson MH, Mogensen CB, Søndergaard J, Skjøt-Arkil H, Andersen PT. Healthcare professionals' practice and interactions in older peoples' cross-sectoral clinical care trajectories when acutely hospitalized - a qualitative observation study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21(1):944. Published 2021 Sep 9. doi:10.1186/s12913-021-06953-9