Leading innovation in transdisciplinary care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Team Science

Background:

• Effective team-based working is crucial in healthcare, with transdisciplinary teams representing the highest level of collaboration.
• Challenges exist in implementing transdisciplinary teams at a large organizational or system level.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe exemplar healthcare organizations that have successfully implemented transdisciplinary working.
• To provide insights into reproducible models for fostering transdisciplinary collaboration in other healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• An expert panel selected three US healthcare organizations as exemplars of transdisciplinary practice.
• Public information review, site visits (in-person and remote), interviews, and direct observation were utilized.
• The immersion-crystallisation process and expert panel feedback were used for thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Common themes emerged across all exemplar organizations, despite diverse implementation pathways.
• A shared 'creation story' and consistent, longitudinal leadership were critical enablers.
• Development of a unique organizational language reinforced culture and uniqueness.

Conclusions:

• Transdisciplinary practice is achievable in large healthcare organizations.
• Successful implementation is supported by a clear founding narrative, sustained leadership, and a distinct organizational language.