Reducing barriers to accessing primary care for individuals with severe mental illness: examining characteristics of Canadian nurse practitioner practice

Abstract

Individuals with severe mental illness experience reduced access to appropriate and timely primary care. This reduced access has been linked to various barriers and may negatively affect health outcomes. The purpose of this project is to identify the characteristics of nurse practitioner (NP) practice that may reduce the most common barriers to accessing primary care encountered by individuals with severe mental illness.(SMI). The most common barriers to access can be broadly described by three themes and include suboptimal therapeutic relationships, complex service delivery, and stigma. A systematic review of the literature indicated that NPs possess a number of practice characteristics that help overcome barriers to accessing primary care. These characteristics can be described as collaborative practice, a holistic approach, and flexible practice formats. NP practice characteristics have the potential to reduce barriers to care for individuals with SMI and improve access to primary care.