>Explaining the jargon

Explaining the jargon

This section of this website is to provide information to consumers of health services, health practitioners, health service providers and policy makers about primary health care.

Commonly used Acronyms and Definitions used in Primary Health Care

Acronyms

Definitions

Inter-professional practice - where the team members learn from each other,  share and work towards a common goal. Greater need for team leadership, communication and collaboration. Within this team there is potential for the blurring of professional boundaries.

Multidisciplinary practice - several disciplines working together, in parallel ie each member of the team assesses the patient according to his/her own discipline practice and sets up treatment goals according to discipline. Will meet with other members of the team to discuss what they are doing or the results. There is no blurring of professional boundaries.

Primary Care - the first point of contact with the health care system, usually when some form of health intervention is required. General Practioners, Allied Health Professionals and Nurses are all primary care practitioners. Could be considered a subset of Primary Health Care.

Primary Health Care - "A definition of PHC developed in Australia to suit the needs of this country is: Primary Health Care seeks to extend the first level of the health system from sick care to the development of health. It seeks to protect and promote the health of defined communities and to address individual and population health problems at an early stage. Primary health care services involve continuity of care, health promotion and education, integration of prevention with sick care, a concern for population as well as individual health, community involvement and the use of appropriate technology (Australian Health Ministers' Council 1988; Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services 1988)".

Transdisciplinary practice - ‘In a transdisciplinary team the roles are not fixed. Decisions are made by professionals collaborating at a primary level (rather than at a secondary level as in a multi disciplinary team). The boundaries between disciplines are deliberately blurred to employ a “targeted eclectic flexibility”.’ Pagliano (1999, p.120).There is recognition and acknowledgment of common areas of practice and blurring of boundaries.