Interprofessional practice in different patient care settings: A qualitative exploration.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Science
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Interprofessional practice is recognized for its potential to enhance healthcare quality, reduce costs, and improve patient experiences.
• However, the influence of specific care settings on interprofessional collaboration remains underexplored.
• Tailoring interventions requires a deeper understanding of how context shapes interprofessional work.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how the work processes of interprofessional practice differ across distinct patient care settings.
• To identify the social processes inherent in varying work contexts that impact healthcare delivery.
• To provide insights into the contextual factors influencing interprofessional collaboration.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative case study design was employed, examining three distinct healthcare settings: rehabilitation, acute care, and code teams.
• Ten in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from these teams.
• Data analysis utilized an inductive content analysis approach, integrating theories of work, teams, interprofessional practice frameworks, and competencies.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in interprofessional work processes were observed across the studied settings.
• Information exchange and decision-making were more physician-centric in non-rehabilitation settings.
• Concurrent work was primarily noted in the code team, while goal setting and the importance of interpersonal relationships varied by setting, with the latter highlighted in rehabilitation.

Conclusions:

• The findings underscore that the context of care significantly shapes interprofessional collaboration processes.
• Differences in physician dominance, information exchange, and team dynamics were evident across settings.
• Further research is needed to explore these contextual variations and inform the development of effective interprofessional practice interventions.