• Moyez Jiwa, Wendy Chan, Jackie Ross, Tim Shaw, and Parker J Magin.
• Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia. m.jiwa@curtin.edu.au
• Aust Fam Physician. 2011 Jan 1;40(1-2):72-5.

BackgroundA 'communities of practice' (CoP) approach has the potential to address quality improvement issues and facilitate research in general practice by engaging those most intimately involved in delivering services - the health professionals.ObjectiveThis article outlines the CoP approach and discusses some of the challenges involved in using this approach to raise standards in general practice and how these challenges might be addressed.DiscussionGeneral practitioner insight needs to be harnessed in order to develop solutions that are conceived in, and informed by, clinical practice. A CoP approach provides control to the practitioners over selection of the most relevant research question and outcome measure. However, the method is challenging as it requires a focus that is suitable, that motivates the participants, and effective management strategies and resources to support the CoP.

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