Inter-Disciplinary Work in the Context of Integrated Care - a Theoretical and Methodological Framework

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Sociology of Health
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• Integrated care delivery relies heavily on interdisciplinary team collaboration.
• Existing research has not fully explored the 'work' involved in forming interdisciplinary teams for integrated care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how interdisciplinary teams develop practices within integrated care models.
• To identify the active boundary work undertaken by diverse disciplines in creating integrated care.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of existing research on interdisciplinary team functioning.
• Application of the 'circuits of power' theoretical lens.
• Utilisation of institutional ethnography as a methodological approach.

Main Results:

• A significant gap exists in understanding the boundary work of interdisciplinary teams.
• This gap includes knowledge creation, team identity formation, and negotiation of social/power relations.
• The role of patients and caregivers in this process is underexplored.

Conclusions:

• Examining interdisciplinary work through knowledge, identity, and power relations offers a new perspective.
• Focusing on power dynamics within inclusive teams can bridge the theory-implementation gap in care integration.
• Understanding the 'work' of teams is crucial for successful integrated care implementation.