Interprofessional decision-making in integrated youth care: a qualitative study.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Family-Centered Care

Background:

• Shared decision-making (SDM) is crucial for families facing complex health issues.
• Interprofessional decision-making within multidisciplinary teams, like Specialist Integrated care Teams (SITs), is vital but challenging.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the practical application of interprofessional decision-making within SITs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore facilitators and barriers of interprofessional decision-making within SITs.
• To investigate interprofessional decision-making between SITs and external care services.
• To enhance SDM for families with complex care needs.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with families, professionals, and managers.
• Observed 40 multidisciplinary team meetings within SITs.
• Applied Reflexive Thematic Analysis to interview and observation data.

Main Results:

• Identified four key categories of facilitators and barriers: organizing decision-making, managing differing opinions, motivation, and embedding interprofessional decision-making in SDM.
• Professionals and services must balance intra-team and inter-service decision-making.
• Effective SDM requires formal organization, integration of professional views, and a family-centered approach.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional decision-making within SITs and with other services is complex.
• Addressing organizational, team, and professional factors is essential for successful decision-making.
• Prioritizing family needs within the SDM process is paramount for optimal care delivery.