INFLUENCE OF INTER-PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION ON THE PROVISION OF QUALITY PERINATAL CARE IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS OF KWALE COUNTY

Purpose of Study: This study examined the influence of inter-professional collaboration on the provision of quality perinatal care in public hospitals of Kwale County. It specifically assessed how communication, shared decision-making, multidisciplinary teamwork, conflict resolution, case review, and quality improvement practices contribute to the delivery of safe, timely, coordinated, and responsive perinatal services. Methodology: The study adopted an analytical cross-sectional design using a mixed-methods approach. It targeted 171 healthcare workers across 20 level 3 and 4 public health facilities and eight key informants. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed using MAXQDA. Findings: The study achieved an overall response rate of 88.8 percent. Findings showed that inter-professional collaboration had a positive and statistically significant relationship with quality perinatal care (r = .658, p < .001). Regression analysis established that collaboration explained 43.3 percent of the variation in quality perinatal care (R² = .433, F = 113.798, p < .001), with a significant positive effect (β = .658, t = 10.737, p < .001). Although communication and standardized handover practices were relatively well established, multidisciplinary near-miss reviews, psychosocial support, active quality improvement teams, and follow-up of audit recommendations remained weak. Overall, quality perinatal care was rated moderately positively. Conclusion: The study concludes that inter-professional collaboration significantly improves the provision of quality perinatal care in public hospitals of Kwale County. Strengthening multidisciplinary teamwork, routine case reviews, psychosocial support, quality improvement teams, and follow-up of audit recommendations is therefore essential. Hospital and county health managers should institutionalize and support collaborative care practices.