Developing and Evaluating an Interdisciplinary Clinical Team Training Program: Lessons Taught and Lessons Learned

Abstract

P h i lli p G. Cla r kRh od e Isla nd Ger iat ric E du ca t ion Cen t er, U n iver sity of Rh ode Islan d, Kin gst on , Rh ode Isla n d, U SA Ma r ie M. Lei n h a a sRh od e Isla nd Ger iat ric E du ca t ion Cen t er, U n iver sity of Rh ode Islan d, Kin gst on , Rh ode Isla n d, U SA Ra c h el Fi lin s onRh ode Isla n d College, P roviden ce, Rh ode Isla n d, U SA The training of clinicians in working together as an interdisciplinary team has received growing support in geriatrics. Most teamwork training programs have focused on group process and development as the core competencies of team practice necessar y to improve levels of team functioning. The experience of the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center (RIGEC) in developing and implementing an ongoing teamwork training program, including the training of severa l geriatric teams from a variety of health care settings, sugges ts that additional objectives should include the empowerment of teams for advocacy in rapidly changing health care settings increasingly shaped by economic forces. The lessons An ea r lier version of t h is a rt icle wa s pr esen t ed a s a pa per in a Sym posiu m on ''In terdisciplina ry Ger iat r ic E du ca t ion in Hea lt h Ca re P r ofession s: Develop m en t , Implem en t a t ion , a n d E va lu a t ion of New P r ogr a m s'' a t t h e 52n d An n u a l Scien t i c Meeting of t h e Ger on t ologica l Society of Am er ica , Sa n F r a n cisco, CA, Novem ber [19][20][21][22][23] 1999 . This wor k wa s su ppor t ed by gr a n t No. 5 D31 H P 70073 fr om t h e Bu rea u of H ea lt h P r ofession s, H ea lt h Resou r ces a n d Ser vices Adm inist r a tion , U.S. Depa rt m en t of H ea lt h a n d Hu m a n Ser vices.Address cor r es pon den ce t o P h illip G. Cla r k , Un iver sit y of Rh ode Isla n d, P r ogr a m in Ger on t ology, Kin gst on , RI 02881 . E -m a il: a gin g@ur i.edu E du ca t ion a l Ger on t ology, 28: 491-510, 2002 Copyr igh t # 2002 Bru n n er -Rou t ledge learned by RIGEC for the development and implementation of teamwork training include the importance of de ning team membership, dealing with the shifting shoals of the health care system, understanding individuals and systems under stress, and rede ning the objectives of teamwork training.Ca lls for increa sed in t er disciplin a r y colla bor a t ion or t eam wor k a m on g h ea lth ca r e pr ovider s a r e being m a de wit h gr owin g fr equ en cy a n d visibilit y by a n u m ber of n a t ion a l or ga n iza t ion s. F or exam ple, t h e J oin t Com m ission on t h e Accr edita t ion of H ea lt h Ca r e Or ga n iza t ion s (J CAH O) n ow r equ ires eviden ce of in t er disciplin a r y colla bor a t ion in h ospita ls, n u r sin g h om es, a n d clin ics a s par t of its a ccr edit a t ion pr ocess. Th e N a t ion a l Com m itt ee for Qu a lit y Assu r a n ce St a n da r ds for Accr editin g H ea lth P la n s a n d beh a vior al h ea lth m a n a ged ca r e or gan iza t ion s r equ ir es coor dina t ion of ca r e bet ween pr im a r y ca r e ph ysician s a n d beh ...

The importance of relational coordination for integrated care delivery to older patients in the hospital

“…In this way, the goals and objectives for teamwork training should be redefined from the old way of thinking about training as education in group processes and development to a much more flexible and dynamic conceptualization of teamwork (Clark et al . ), focusing on both relational and functional competence.…”

Interventions to improve team effectiveness: A systematic review

“…Two studies found no positive associations and one did not present clear outcomes concerning team effectiveness [30][31][32]. The other three studies found that interprofes- sional training resulted in improvements in team skills, team climate, awareness of professional roles, attitude, learning and retaining information, and morale.…”

See It – Do It – Learn It: Learning Interprofessional Collaboration in the Clinical Context

“…On the other hand, not all learners felt that multiple contacts with the information was beneficial; some learners felt that the education would have been better suited to an earlier level learner, as they were already experienced in teamwork. These data begin to inform the issues raised by Clark et al [11] and Coogle [27] around IPE including the need to address the varying levels of learners, questions around the learning "dose" necessary to accomplish collaborative skills, and the need for a "continuum of teamwork training" to address the varying needs within and across pre-and postlicensure learners from different health care professions.…”

“…In North America, IPE programs have developed over the last two decades. The Hartford Foundation-funded Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training (GITT) [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and Geriatric Education Centres (GEC) funded through the U.S. Bureau of Health Professions [11] created effective geriatric IPE initiatives throughout the United States. In 2005, Health Canada funded 20 projects across the country, which provided the stimulus for the development of IECPCP initiatives in Canada.…”