A piece of the jigsaw of primary care: health professional perceptions of an integrated care model of hepatitis C management in the community

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: There is growing interest in increasing uptake of hepatitis C (HCV) treatment. HCV is strongly associated with injecting drug use and is a stigmatised illness. People with HCV may be reluctant to engage with health care services. A community-based, nurse-led integrated care clinic was established in Christchurch, New Zealand with the intention of bridging the health care gap for those unwilling or unable to access mainstream health care. This paper explores the experiences and perceptions of health professionals regarding the implementation of this clinic, with particular attention paid to the interprofessional relationships relevant to the clinic. METHODS: Qualitative, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 stakeholders, including four staff of the clinic and other service providers with varying relationships to the clinic. FINDINGS: Participants generally endorsed the clinic model and described its operation as easy to access, non-judgmental and non-threatening, and, therefore, able to attract and engage ‘hard-to-reach’ clients. The clinic model was also thought to support more effective use of health resources. Some participants expressed concerns regarding the potential ‘poaching’ of patients from other services (particularly general practice) and indicated a preference for HCV treatment services to be restricted to hospital settings. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest the need to address concerns of general practitioners regarding patient poaching. Key information to disseminate is the clinic’s success in engaging with complex clients and contribution to more efficacious use of health service resources. These activities may require the advocacy of a key local opinion leader acting as ‘knowledge broker’. KEYWORDS: Community health services; hepatitis C; interprofessional relations; primary health care; qualitative research