Low-touch approach empowering clinical teams to improve the medical on-call communication experience

Team functioning is integral to providing high quality patient care. Improving communication during on-call medical coverage requires a level of individual engagement that can be challenging to achieve in large organisations, particularly in a climate of high population healthcare needs and health human resource limitations. This project represents a novel approach through engaging care providers in addressing on-call communication culture using a systems approach and quality improvement methodology.

Factors that influence the interdisciplinary experience of making, receiving and responding to calls about patient care were identified. An asynchronous action series addressed the key drivers of a good call experience.

The Good Call Action Series was developed collaboratively by interdisciplinary teams. Six multidisciplinary teams across seven specialties participated over 5 months. A modified team effectiveness score demonstrated a 13% improvement on completion of the action series.

System thinking can be effectively applied to the complexity of the on-call experience for all members of the healthcare team. Clinical teams can develop team functioning skills and solve complex on-call communication issues with minimal support and without structured quality improvement training. Low-touch, time-efficient activities designed and delivered using quality improvement methodology can effectively address team-based care delivery challenges.