Marlène Karam

• BSN, MPH, PhD
• Assistant Professor at Université de Montréal

Background: Realist synthesis is a comprehensive method of review for evaluating complex programs such as integrated models of care. The first step of the synthesis is to clarify the scope of the review and to explore existing theories in the literature related to targeted programs. The aim is to elicit an initial program theory in the form of cont...

Background: Millions of people globally live with complex health and social care needs that go beyond the services typically provided by a healthcare system. Consequently, developed countries, including Canada, have invested in health and social care coordination to address these needs and improve individuals' experiences within these systems. Desp...

The Medical Research Council proposed a framework to develop and implement complex interventions in practice. How to adopt these interventions is described in recommendations of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Many factors may influence the complexity of a guideline. The aim of this paper is to describe the determinants of complexity i...

Based on the authors’ experience in interprofessional education (IPE), this chapter reflects on how communication is currently taught as one of four interprofessional core competencies. It defines interprofessional education, presents commonly used frameworks for teaching interprofessional competencies, and discusses how each framework envisages co...

Introduction : Les obstacles à la communication au sein des équipes interprofessionnelles incluent souvent l’absence d’un outil commun, standardisé et ciblé, surtout pour les notes des infirmières. Le manque d’une telle structuration entrave l’efficacité du transfert d’informations et met en jeu la sécurité des patients. Ce risque s’accentue lors d...

Introduction Case management (CM) is among the most studied effective models of integrated care for people with complex needs. The goal of this study is to scale up and assess CM in primary healthcare for people with complex needs. Methods and analysis The research questions are: (1) which mechanisms contribute to the successful scale-up of CM for...

Introduction: This project is the result of a partnership between a research team including a patient partner, a clinical setting, and patients. The Nursing Department of the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (IHSSC) in Laval (Quebec, Canada) has implemented several care coordination functions for several years for patients with complex...

Introduction: Despite nurses' substantial role in care coordination, few education programs exist to better support them in this role. Identification of a set of core care coordination activities across heterogeneous care coordination programs would facilitate the development of a standard of practice. We sought to examine care coordination activi...

Introduction Care coordination has been part of social work for some time. It has been recognized as contributing to care coordination for long-term care for the elderly and mental health but less is known about their contribution in primary care with patients with complex health and social needs. As social workers are increasingly present in prima...

The involvement of patients, their families, or their representatives is becoming increasingly common in health-care research. However, theoretical justification of patient engagement (PE) and consistent guidance on how to include patients as key stakeholders on research teams are still lacking. This paper describes how the Pri-Care group integrate...

Background Adults with chronic conditions who also suffer from mental health comorbidities and/or social vulnerability require services from many providers across different sectors. They may have complex health and social care needs and experience poorer health indicators and high mortality rates while generating considerable costs to the health an...

Introduction The objectives of this study were 1) to describe how case management programs engaged community pharmacies and community-based organisations in a perspective of integrated care for people with complex needs, and 2) to identify enablers, barriers and potential strategies for this engagement. Methods Using a descriptive qualitative desi...

The case study design is particularly useful for implementation analysis of complex health care innovations in primary care that can be influenced by the context of dynamic environments. Case studies may be combined with participatory approaches where academics conduct joint research with nonacademic stakeholders, to foster translation of findings...

Given the sociodemographic challenges facing the Belgian primary care system, it is essential to strengthen interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between healthcare providers. Therefore, our aims for this study were to assess IPC between general practitioners (GPs) and nurses; identify target priorities for improving IPC; and facilitate the plannin...

Introduction: Millions of people worldwide have complex health and social care needs. Care coordination for these patients is a core dimension of integrated care and a key responsibility for primary healthcare. Registered nurses play a substantial role in care coordination. This review draws on previous theoretical work and provides a synthesis of...

Background To deliver optimal palliative care, a Care Pathway for Primary Palliative Care (CPPPC) was developed. This CPPPC was implemented by general practitioners (GPs) in territories of five Belgian palliative care networks (2014–2016). Belgian doctors have much therapeutic freedom, and do not commonly follow guidelines. Objectives To assess ho...

Objectives To assess patients’ perceptions of continuity of care (COC) across primary care level and emergency departments (EDs) and to identify contextual and individual factors that influence this perception. Design Cross-sectional multicentre survey. Setting Five EDs in Brussels and Wallonia. Participants 501 adult patients referred to the ED...

Introduction: Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) has long been considered as an essential principle underpinning effective primary health care, [1]. The Belgian primary care level is characterized by a shortage of General practitioners (GPs), the absence of shared patients list between GPs and home nurses, and a diversity of practices and paymen...

Presenting the results of a cross-sectional survey, conducted in Belgian Emergency departments and exploring patients' perceptions about continuity of care between their primary care physician and the ED.

Presenting the results of a Systematic Review "Comparing interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration in healthcare: A systematic review of the qualitative research"

Background: Interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration have become important components of a well-functioning healthcare system, all the more so given limited financial resources, aging populations, and comorbid chronic diseases. The nursing role in working alongside other healthcare professionals is critical. By their leadership, nur...

This study aimed to assess interprofessional collaboration between general physicians and emergency departments in the French speaking regions of Belgium. Eight group interviews were conducted both in rural and urban areas, including in Brussels. Findings showed that the relational components of collaboration, which are highly valued by individuals...