Geriatrics, Interprofessional Practice, and Interorganizational Collaboration: A Knowledge‐to‐Practice Intervention for Primary Care Teams

INTRODUCTION: Caring for frail seniors requires health professionals with skills and knowledge in 3 core competencies: geriatrics, interprofessional practice, and interorganizational collaboration. Despite a growing population of frail seniors in all developed countries, significant gaps exist in preparation of health professionals in these skills. To help close these gaps, a knowledge-to-practice (KTP) process was undertaken to increase the capacity of newly created family health teams and longer standing Community Health Centers in the Province of Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Each team identified a staff member to become its facilitator in the 3 core skill sets. Guided by a KTP framework, a set of training modules were created, compiled into a digital toolkit for transfer into practice, translated in a multimethods workshop, and implemented using a variety of strategies to optimize practice change. RESULTS: Staff from 82% of the targeted primary care teams learned to use the toolkit in a train-the-facilitator process that was highly valued, and prompted a range of changes in personal and team practice. A digital toolkit for primary care teams remains an enduring and often used resource. DISCUSSION: Closing the knowledge gap in the core competencies for frailty focused care is complex. A KTP framework helped guide a staged multimethod process that produced both individual and team practice change and on online toolkit that has a continuing influence.