Interprofessional teamwork and team interventions in chronic care: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Chronic Disease Management

Background:

• Effective interprofessional teamwork (IPT) is crucial for optimal chronic care delivery.
• Existing literature lacks a clear consensus on essential IPT features and effective interventions in this setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify key features of IPT in chronic care.
• To evaluate interventions aimed at enhancing IPT in chronic care.
• To develop a framework for future research on IPT in chronic care.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies published between 2002 and 2014.
• Inclusion criteria applied to 3217 initially identified abstracts, with 23 studies ultimately included.
• Analysis structured using an input-process-output model.

Main Results:

• Key features of IPT identified include team member characteristics, communication, cooperation, and patient/staff satisfaction.
• Evaluated interventions included tools, workshops, and structural team changes, with complex programs being most common.
• 13 out of 14 evaluation studies reported enhancements in teamwork and/or related outcomes.

Conclusions:

• While interventions show promise, there is no current consensus on defining IPT features or the most effective interventions for chronic care.
• Findings can inform the standardization of IPT implementation and evaluation in practice and research.
• Further research is needed to establish a consensus on IPT in chronic care settings.