The Collaboration Compass: A Preliminary Model for Navigating Collaborative Practice

Area of Science:

• Healthcare collaboration
• Interprofessional practice
• Patient-centered care

Background:

• Understanding collaboration is crucial for effective healthcare delivery.
• Existing models often overlook the patient's role in collaborative practice.
• Integrated outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) services present unique collaborative dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the meaning and manifestation of collaboration in healthcare practice.
• To explore the experiences and outcomes of collaboration for both patients and healthcare professionals.
• To develop a model that explains the influences and interactions shaping collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Grounded theory methodology was employed.
• Data were collected through interviews and focus groups with staff and patients in an OPAT service.
• Constant comparative analysis and theoretical sampling were used to achieve data saturation.

Main Results:

• Four distinct types of collaboration were identified: developing, maintaining, limiting, and disrupting.
• A 'collaboration compass' model was developed to illustrate and navigate collaborative situations.
• The study highlights the dynamic interplay between situational influences and individual interactions.

Conclusions:

• Collaboration is complex and shaped by multiple influences and interactions.
• The developed model incorporates patients as active participants, enriching understanding of collaborative practice.
• This research offers a novel perspective on interprofessional collaboration by emphasizing its co-construction in daily practice between patients and professionals.