Communicate, Coordinate, Collaborate!: A IU Health Case Study Exploring Inter-professional Collaboration Among Primary Care and Medical Nutrition Therapy

Several chronic conditions – such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and renal disease – can be successfully managed through nutrition intervention; however, standardized inter-professional interventions aimed to improve patients’ dietary practices in primary care settings are not present.   A qualitative study using grounded theory was conducted using primary data collected from 5 focus groups with primary care providers and clinicians (n=24) affiliated with IU Health Bloomington. Expressions of inter-professional collaboration strategies were identified at four levels of intervention including individual, provider/health care team, primary care practice setting, organization, and community.  Results provide a strategic framework that hospital administrators can use to build intra-agency communication and promote collaborative practices between hospital-based primary care practices and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) services.