A four-year, systems-wide intervention promoting interprofessional collaboration

Braithwaite, J; Westbrook, M; Nugus, P; Greenfield, D; Travaglia, J; Runciman, W; Foxwell, AR; Boyce, RA; Devinney, T; Westbrook, J

A four-year, systems-wide intervention promoting interprofessional collaboration

Braithwaite, J Westbrook, M Nugus, P Greenfield, D Travaglia, J

Runciman, W Foxwell, AR Boyce, RA Devinney, T

Westbrook, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12 (1)
Issue Date:: 2012-04-23

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Braithwaite, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Westbrook, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Nugus, P	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Greenfield, D	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Travaglia, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7537-0466	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Runciman, W	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Foxwell, AR	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Boyce, RA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Devinney, T https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4867-1861	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Westbrook, J	en_US
dc.date.available	2012-04-20	en_US
dc.date.issued	2012-04-23	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12 (1)	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22421
dc.description.abstract	Background: A four-year action research study was conducted across the Australian Capital Territory health system to strengthen interprofessional collaboration (IPC) though multiple intervention activities. Methods. We developed 272 substantial IPC intervention activities involving 2,407 face-to-face encounters with health system personnel. Staff attitudes toward IPC were surveyed yearly using Heinemann et al's Attitudes toward Health Care Teams and Parsell and Bligh's Readiness for Interprofessional Learning scales (RIPLS). At study's end staff assessed whether project goals were achieved. Results: Of the improvement projects, 76 exhibited progress, and 57 made considerable gains in IPC. Educational workshops and feedback sessions were well received and stimulated interprofessional activities. Over time staff scores on Heinemann's Quality of Interprofessional Care subscale did not change significantly and scores on the Doctor Centrality subscale increased, contrary to predictions. Scores on the RIPLS subscales of Teamwork & Collaboration and Professional Identity did not alter. On average for the assessment items 33% of staff agreed that goals had been achieved, 10% disagreed, and 57% checked neutral. There was most agreement that the study had resulted in increased sharing of knowledge between professions and improved quality of patient care, and least agreement that between-professional rivalries had lessened and communication and trust between professions improved. Conclusions: Our longitudinal interventional study of IPC involving multiple activities supporting increased IPC achieved many project-specific goals. However, improvements in attitudes over time were not demonstrated and neutral assessments predominated, highlighting the difficulties faced by studies targeting change at the systems level and over extended periods. © 2012 Braithwaite et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP0775514
dc.relation.ispartof	BMC Health Services Research	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1186/1472-6963-12-99	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Health Policy & Services	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Longitudinal Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Interprofessional Relations	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Staff Development	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Diffusion of Innovation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Organizational Innovation	en_US
dc.title	A four-year, systems-wide intervention promoting interprofessional collaboration	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	12	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	0807 Library and Information Studies	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CMOS - Centre for Management and Organisation Studies
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	12	en_US

Abstract:

Background: A four-year action research study was conducted across the Australian Capital Territory health system to strengthen interprofessional collaboration (IPC) though multiple intervention activities. Methods. We developed 272 substantial IPC intervention activities involving 2,407 face-to-face encounters with health system personnel. Staff attitudes toward IPC were surveyed yearly using Heinemann et al's Attitudes toward Health Care Teams and Parsell and Bligh's Readiness for Interprofessional Learning scales (RIPLS). At study's end staff assessed whether project goals were achieved. Results: Of the improvement projects, 76 exhibited progress, and 57 made considerable gains in IPC. Educational workshops and feedback sessions were well received and stimulated interprofessional activities. Over time staff scores on Heinemann's Quality of Interprofessional Care subscale did not change significantly and scores on the Doctor Centrality subscale increased, contrary to predictions. Scores on the RIPLS subscales of Teamwork & Collaboration and Professional Identity did not alter. On average for the assessment items 33% of staff agreed that goals had been achieved, 10% disagreed, and 57% checked neutral. There was most agreement that the study had resulted in increased sharing of knowledge between professions and improved quality of patient care, and least agreement that between-professional rivalries had lessened and communication and trust between professions improved. Conclusions: Our longitudinal interventional study of IPC involving multiple activities supporting increased IPC achieved many project-specific goals. However, improvements in attitudes over time were not demonstrated and neutral assessments predominated, highlighting the difficulties faced by studies targeting change at the systems level and over extended periods. © 2012 Braithwaite et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22421