Systematic Approach for Comparing Team-based Care Processes

Team-based care process modeling techniques have focused on understanding and designing solutions for a single site. Less is known about tailoring an effective team-based care process from one site to another, which is necessary for multi-site implementation efforts. We propose an approach for analyzing and comparing a team-based care process performed at two sites to inform redesign opportunities. Our approach includes abstracting the goals and strategies of each process by identifying whether sociotechnical system element differences exist. Element differences may exist for the phase, tasks, roles, information, and technology and tools. Differences in system elements may still support process goals and strategies and, thus, be irrelevant for redesign opportunities. We demonstrate the utility of the approach using an operating room to intensive care unit handoff protocol. This approach should be useful for researchers and practitioners that are tailoring and implementing a successful team-based care process at more than one site.