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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 49(4)

Comparison of systems thinking and perceptions and attitudes regarding interprofessional collaborative practice across professional groups in a large public health service

Katherine Delany A * , Angela Wood B , Hannah Mayr C D , Rachel Phillips A B , Bernadette Thomson E , Nigel Fellows F and Susan Stoikov A D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Office of the Executive Director of Allied Health, Metro South Health, Garden City Office Park, Building 19, 2404 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113, Australia.

B Division of Allied Health and Rehabilitation, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Qld, Australia.

C Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Qld, Australia.

D Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Health, Buranda, Qld, Australia.

E Nursing Practice Development Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Qld, Australia.

F Medical Education, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Qld, Australia.

* Correspondence to: katherine.delany@health.qld.gov.au

Australian Health Review 49, AH25023 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH25023
Submitted: 3 February 2025  Accepted: 24 May 2025  Published: 1 July 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of AHHA.

Abstract

Objective

Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is integral to a high-functioning healthcare system, yet little is understood about whether attitudes, knowledge and beliefs towards IPCP differ between professional groups or clinical settings.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used three surveys: the Systems Thinking Scale, Attitudes Towards Health Care Teams, and the adapted Interprofessional Collaboration Scale, to compare systems thinking and the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare professionals in a large metropolitan health service. Participants included medical, nursing, allied health and oral health professionals across hospital and community settings.

Results

A total of 293 participants (57% hospital-based, 43% community; 40% nursing, 8% medicine, 46% allied health, 6% oral health) completed the surveys. Results demonstrated differences in communication and attitudes towards IPCP across professional groups.

Conclusions

While all professional groups acknowledged the importance of IPCP, distinctions persisted across professions and settings. Understanding attitudes within various professions and contexts establishes the foundation for targeted strategies aimed at promoting interprofessional collaboration in health care.

Keywords: attitudes, attitudes towards interprofessional collaborative practice, collaboration, interprofessional collaboration, interprofessional practice, organisational culture, systems thinking.

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