چکیده (انگلیسی):

Background:Most individuals with mental health concerns seek care from their primary care provider, who may lack
comfort, knowledge, and time to provide care. Interprofessional collaboration between providers improves access to
primary mental health services and increases primary care providers’ comfort offering these services. Building and
sustaining interprofessional relationships is foundational to collaborative practice in primary care settings. However,
little is known about the relationship building process within these collaborative relationships. The purpose of this
grounded theory study was to gain a theoretical understanding of the interprofessional collaborative relationship-building
process to guide health care providers and leaders as they integrate mental health services into primary care settings.
Methods:Forty primary and mental health care providers completed a demographic questionnaire and participated in
either an individual or group interview. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were
reviewed several times and then individually coded. Codes were reviewed and similar codes were collapsed to form
categories using using constant comparison. All codes and categories were discussed amongst the researchers and the
final categories and core category was agreed upon using constant comparison and consensus.
Results:A four-stage developmental interprofessional collaborative relationship-building model explained the
emergent core category of Collaboration in the Context of Co-location. The four stages included 1) Looking for
Help, 2) Initiating Co-location, 3) Fitting-in, and 4) Growing Reciprocity. A patient-focus and communication
strategies were essential processes throughout the interprofessional collaborative relationship-building process.
Conclusions:Building interprofessional collaborative relationships amongst health care providers are essential
to delivering mental health services in primary care settings. This developmental model describes the process of how
these relationships are co-created and supported by the health care region. Furthermore, the model emphasizes that
all providers must develop and sustain a patient-focus and communication strategies that are flexible. Applying this
model, health care providers can guide the creation and sustainability of primary care interprofessional collaborative
relationships. Moreover, this model may guide health care leaders and policy makers as they initiate interprofessional
collaborative practice in other health care settings