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
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
Introduction: Integrated care for children and their families is often organized in multidisciplinary teams. In these teams, evaluation and reflection during Multidisciplinary Team Discussions ... Show moreIntroduction: Integrated care for children and their families is often organized in multidisciplinary teams. In these teams, evaluation and reflection during Multidisciplinary Team Discussions (MTDs) are fundamental to learning, improving interprofessional collaboration, and increasing the quality of care. The effectiveness of MTDs varies widely in practice. Therefore, this study's objective was to identify facilitators and barriers for evaluation and reflection in MTDs, and concurrently formulate practical recommendations for professionals to improve their MTDs.Methods: This study's action research cycle consisted of a qualitative component to identify facilitators and barriers to evaluation and reflection in MTDs. We observed MTDs in multidisciplinary teams and interviewed professionals, parents, managers, and local policy makers. Concurrently, practical recommendations were iteratively developed during project team meetings, learning sessions, and a focus group.Results: Nine practical recommendations were formulated based on the identified facilitators and barriers, including preparatory activities to ensure purpose, timing, and relevant stakeholder involvement; specific points of attention during MTDs to ensure effectiveness; and tracking follow up steps after MTDs to ensure a learning process.Conclusion: The practical recommendations should be incorporated in daily practice to support professionals in Youth Care to increase satisfaction and improve effectiveness of evaluation and reflection during MTDs. Show less
A scientific correlational study on human resource and organisational policy-oriented study, which was conducted in the Mara Region of Tanzania. It specifically investigates major factors,... Show moreA scientific correlational study on human resource and organisational policy-oriented study, which was conducted in the Mara Region of Tanzania. It specifically investigates major factors, which correlate to interprofessional collaborative behaviours in the context of health service delivery between traditional and modern medical practitioners. Interprofessional collaboration is a sine qua non stage towards fully integrated health care encapsulated in a coined Swahili concept of afya jumuishi. The sample population in this study includes medical practitioners from both Modern Medicine (MM) and Traditional Medicine (TM) systems in the Mara Region. The operationalisation of the concept of interprofessional collaboration as used in the analytical model of this study follows the definition by the ‘Centre for Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health’ (2003), which defines it as behavioural patterns as part of synergy formation among different professionals. Such behavioural patterns have two interrelated components of dependent factors which include: the behavioural patterns of sharing resources; and - the behavioural patterns of working jointly for clients. The analytical model used is based on Slikkerveer (1990) which is built up on seven blocks of variables. These variables are independent variables, which include socio-demographic, psycho-social, enabling, trustworthiness, organisational and intervening variables as well as the dependent variables which include collaborative behavioural patterns of exchange of resources and collaborative behavioural patterns of working jointly for clients and patients. The general major challenges of the Twenty-First Century facing Traditional Medicine (TM) in the country include: - Lack of enabling environment towards Traditional Medicine (TM); - Absence of a mechanism, which promotes integration between modern and Traditional Medicine (TM); - Weak protection of indigenous intellectual property rights and unsustainable harvesting of medicinal plants; - Dwindling of natural resources; - Lack of indigenous information system and reliable data bank; - The need to carry out education, research and development on Traditional Medicine (TM); - The problem of safety of products of Traditional Medicine (TM); contextualization of the world’s eligions on teachings about Traditional Medicine (TM); - Moral degradation and the breaking of social structures;- Shocking poverty in the society. Show less
