Understanding the impact of interprofessional collaboration on the quality of care: a case report from a small-scale resource limited health care environment

Abstract

BackgroundA critical assessment of current health care practices, as well as the training needs of various health care providers, is crucial for improving patient care. Several approaches have been proposed for defining these needs with attention on communication as a key competency for effective collaboration. Taking our cultural context, resource limitations, and small-scale setting into account, we researched the applicability of a mixed focus group approach for analysis of the communication between doctors and nurses, as well as the measures for improvement.Study objectiveAssessment of nurse-physician communication perception in patient care in a Caribbean setting.MethodsFocus group sessions consisting of nurses, interns, and medical specialists were conducted using an ethnographic approach, paying attention to existing communication, risk evaluation, and recommendations for improvement. Data derived from the focus group sessions were analyzed by thematic synthesis method with descriptive themes and development of analytic themes.ResultsThe initial focus group sessions produced an extensive list of key recommendations which could be clustered into three domains (standardization, sustainment, and collaboration). Further discussion of these domains in focus groups showed nurses’ and physicians’ domain perspectives and effects on patient care to be broadly similar. Risks related to lack of information, knowledge sharing, and professional respect were clearly described by the participants.ConclusionThe described mixed focus group session approach for effectively determining current interprofessional communication and key improvement areas seems suitable for our small-scale, limited resource setting. The impact of the cultural context should be further evaluated by a similar study in a different cultural context.

<p>Clinical Leadership as an Agent for Change: A Health System Improvement Intervention in Curaçao</p>

“…15 As reported by us and others, respect and open communication were apparently an essential component of levelling hierarchy and promoting healthy and productive work environments. 2,15 Regarding personal development, the topics mentioned by the participants (i.e. leadership in practice, insight into own and other responsibilities, and personal development) corroborated earlier recommendations indicating their relevance and importance for effective team performance.…”

“…As a first step of this healthcare improvement project, we chose a design that was based on 1) recommendations from an earlier case study we conducted on the implementation of a competency-based health system in Curaçao and on 2) the results from earlier research on interprofessional collaboration. 2,7 Decubitus (or Pressure) Ulcer was the critical healthcare issue (CHCI) that we selected for the project reported in this paper. This health condition was considered a serious health challenge for patients in SEHOS and is recognized as one of the main quality parameters of hospital care within the Dutch healthcare system.…”

Combining Direct and Indirect Measurements to Assess Patients’ Satisfaction with the Quality of Public Health Services in Romania: Uncovering Structural Mechanisms and Their Implications

“…We measured patients' satisfaction by the category of services (henceforth SCS), referring, in particular, to family physicians, specialists, hospital services, and laboratories. The process of value creation in vulnerable customers is important [42], and previous research showed that competent delivery of professional health services develops trust (henceforth TRUST) in patients [43]. As a result, the final nine hypotheses were as follows: Hypothesis 8 (H8).…”

Attitudes and Behavior towards Interprofessional Collaboration among Healthcare Professionals in a Large Academic Medical Center

“…Collaboration has been defined as the cooperative arrangement in which two or more parties work together towards completing a task or achieving a common goal [1]. Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in healthcare is a partnership among diverse health professionals to provide quality care to patients, families and caregivers [2,3]. IPC utilizes both the individual and collective skills and experience of team members, allowing them to function more effectively and deliver a higher level of care than when working alone [4].…”