BackgroundAn important element of value-based health care (VBHC) is interprofessional collaboration in integrated practice units (IPUs) for the delivery of the complete cycle of care. High levels... Show moreBackgroundAn important element of value-based health care (VBHC) is interprofessional collaboration in integrated practice units (IPUs) for the delivery of the complete cycle of care. High levels of interprofessional collaboration between clinical and nonclinical staff in IPUs are assumed rather than proven. Factors that may stimulate interprofessional collaboration in the context of VBHC are underresearched.PurposeThe aim of this study was to examine relational coordination (RC) in VBHC and its antecedents.ApproachA questionnaire was used to examine the association of both team practices and organizational conditions with interprofessional collaboration in IPUs. Gittell's Relational Coordination Survey was drawn upon to measure interprofessional collaboration by capturing the relational dynamics in coordinated working. The questionnaire also included measures of team practices (team meetings and boundary spanning behavior) and organizational conditions (task interdependence and time constraints).ResultsThe number of different professional groups participating in team meetings is positively associated with RC in IPUs. Boundary spanning behavior, task interdependence, and time constraints are not associated with RC.ConclusionsIn IPUs, the diversity within interprofessional team meetings is important for establishing high-quality communication and relationships.Practice ImplicationsHospital managers should prioritize facilitating and encouraging shared meetings to enhance RC levels among professional groups in IPUs. Show less
Background An important element of value-based health care (VBHC) is interprofessional collaboration in integrated practice units (IPUs) for the delivery of the complete cycle of care. High levels... Show moreBackground An important element of value-based health care (VBHC) is interprofessional collaboration in integrated practice units (IPUs) for the delivery of the complete cycle of care. High levels of interprofessional collaboration between clinical and nonclinical staff in IPUs are assumed rather than proven. Factors that may stimulate interprofessional collaboration in the context of VBHC are underresearched.Purpose The aim of this study was to examine relational coordination (RC) in VBHC and its antecedents.Approach A questionnaire was used to examine the association of both team practices and organizational conditions with interprofessional collaboration in IPUs. Gittell’s Relational Coordination Survey was drawn upon to measure interprofessional collaboration by capturing the relational dynamics in coordinated working. The questionnaire also included measures of team practices (team meetings and boundary spanning behavior) and organizational conditions (task interdependence and time constraints).Results The number of different professional groups participating in team meetings is positively associated with RC in IPUs. Boundary spanning behavior, task interdependence, and time constraints are not associated with RC.Conclusions In IPUs, the diversity within interprofessional team meetings is important for establishing high-quality communication and relationships.Practice Implications Hospital managers should prioritize facilitating and encouraging shared meetings to enhance RC levels among professional groups in IPUs. Show less
Introduction: An important aspect of Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) is providing the full cycle of care for a specific medical condition through interprofessional collaboration. This requires... Show moreIntroduction: An important aspect of Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) is providing the full cycle of care for a specific medical condition through interprofessional collaboration. This requires employees from diverse professional backgrounds to interact, but there is limited knowledge on how professionals perceive such interprofessional collaboration. We aimed to provide insight into how different professionals perceive Integrated Practice Unit (IPU) composition and what factors influence the quality of interprofessional collaboration within IPUs.Methods: A survey was administered to employees from different professional backgrounds (medical specialists, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative employees) working in IPUs to assess their perception of the composition of their IPU and the quality of the interactions. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the findings of the survey.Results: Medical specialists and nurses were most frequently considered to be part of an IPU and indicated that they have high quality interactions. Allied health professionals were less often considered part of the team by all other professional groups and all report low quality interaction with this group. The extent to which a professional group is perceived as a team member depends on their visibility, involvement in the treatment of the patient, and shared interest. Differences in the quality of interprofessional collaboration are influenced by organizational structures, knowledge of each other's expertise, and by ways of communication.Conclusions: In VBHC, there seems to be a lack of common perception of an IPU's composition and a failure to always achieve high quality interprofessional collaboration. Given the importance of interprofessional collaboration in VBHC, effort should be invested in achieving a shared understanding and improved collaboration. Show less
Marle, M.E.V.; Blom, M.; Burg, M. van der; Bredius, R.G.M.; Ploeg, C.P.B. van der 2021
Although several countries have adopted severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) into their newborn screening (NBS) program, other countries are still in the decision process of adding this disorder... Show moreAlthough several countries have adopted severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) into their newborn screening (NBS) program, other countries are still in the decision process of adding this disorder in their program and finding the appropriate screening strategy. This decision may be influenced by the cost(-effectiveness) of these screening strategies. In this study, the cost(-effectiveness) of different NBS strategies for SCID was estimated based on real-life data from a prospective implementation study in the Netherlands. The cost of testing per child for SCID was estimated at EUR 6.36. The cost of diagnostics after screen-positive results was assessed to vary between EUR 985 and 8561 per child dependent on final diagnosis. Cost-effectiveness ratios varied from EUR 41,300 per QALY for the screening strategy with T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) <= 6 copies/punch to EUR 44,100 for the screening strategy with a cut-off value of TREC <= 10 copies/punch. The analysis based on real-life data resulted in higher costs, and consequently in less favorable cost-effectiveness estimates than analyses based on hypothetical data, indicating the need for verifying model assumptions with real-life data. The comparison of different screening strategies suggest that strategies with a lower number of referrals, e.g., by distinguishing between urgent and less urgent referrals, are favorable from an economic perspective. Show less
