Journal Article

Factors influencing interprofessional collaboration in general and during multidisciplinary team meetings in long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation: a qualitative study

Doornebosch, Arno J., Achterberg, Wilco P., Smaling, Hanneke J. A.

2024

Overview

Background Interprofessional collaboration is essential to maintain high-quality care in long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation. However, little is known regarding perceived factors influencing interprofessional collaboration by people involved in care. This concerns both long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation. Moreover, knowledge of using patient outcome measures to enhance interprofessional collaboration during multidisciplinary team meetings is insufficient. This study examined the perceived facilitators of and barriers to interprofessional collaboration in general and during multidisciplinary team meetings, specifically according to healthcare professionals, patients, and informal caregivers. Differences between long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation were also investigated. Finally, it was examined which patient outcome measures were used in multidisciplinary team meetings. Methods A constructivist qualitative study using 10 focus groups and 18 semi-structured interviews with 14 patients, 13 informal caregivers,10 managers, and 22 healthcare professionals from eight Dutch long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation facilities. A combined inductive and deductive approach to a thematic analysis was performed. Results The perceived influencing factors of interprofessional collaboration were classified into two general themes: (1) ‘Involvement of patient, informal caregiver, and healthcare professional’, categorised into: ‘participation of patients and informal caregivers’, ‘behaviour and attitude of team members’, ‘expectations of team members towards each other’, and ‘exchange of information, knowledge, and reciprocity in communication’; and (2) ‘A systematic approach to providing care for older people’, consisting of: ‘coordination of team procedures’, and ‘coordination of organisational procedures’. Also, one theme for multidisciplinary team meetings was identified: ‘Organised participation of patient, informal caregiver, and healthcare professional in multidisciplinary team meeting, categorised into: ‘team procedures’, ‘working systematically’, and ‘participation in multidisciplinary team meetings. Standardised patient outcome measures were scarcely used in multidisciplinary team meetings. Conclusion People involved in long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation indicated that, apart from working systematically, being involved in care and multidisciplinary team meetings are essential factors for interprofessional collaboration. These factors must be taken into consideration to provide valuable, high-quality care to older people residing in long-term care and geriatric. Trial registration Not applicable.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Advancing healthcare systems with interprofessional education and collaboration / Aged patients / Barriers / Care and treatment / Caregivers / Collaboration / Communication (Thought Transfer) / Data Analysis / Education / Elder care / Facilitators / Focus groups / Geriatric rehabilitation / Geriatrics / Group Dynamics / Integrated Services / Interprofessional collaboration / Interviews / Long term health care / Long-term care / Long-term care of the sick / Medical cooperation / Medical Education / Medical research / Medicine, Physical / Methods / Multidisciplinary team meetings / Multidisciplinary teams / Nursing homes / Occupational Therapy / Older Adults / Older people / Outcome Measures / Patients / Physicians / Qualitative research / Questionnaires / Research Committees / Researchers / Residential Institutions / Resistance (Psychology) / Scientific Research / Semi Structured Interviews / Stakeholders / Structured Interviews / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics