Collaboration through clinical integration.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Rising healthcare costs and nursing shortages impede collaborative care environments.
• Lack of collaboration contributes to fragmented care and poor patient outcomes.
• Positive collaboration is linked to reduced mortality, improved patient outcomes, and increased nurse satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the concept of collaboration within healthcare.
• To utilize the Donabedian model as a framework for multidisciplinary collaboration in acute care.
• To embed best practice components for collaborative environments.

Main Methods:

• Leveraged National Joint Practice Commission recommendations and Schmalenberg et al.'s work to define structural and process components.
• Developed a care model integrating collaboration principles with the Center for Case Management.
• Implemented the model in an acute care setting.

Main Results:

• Average length of stay (LOS) decreased from 4.24 to 3.37 days.
• Cost per admission reduced from $6723 to $5919 within one year.
• Demonstrated significant improvements in patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for high-quality patient care.
• The Donabedian model provides a robust framework for implementing collaborative practices.
• The developed care model effectively improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.