Organizational Issue Solvable by an Interdisciplinary Approach

 

Introductory Summary of the Interview

I recently had the opportunity to interview a nurse colleague who shared excellent information with me about an organizational problem she had encountered. During the conversation, we spoke about a previous patient-care situation that may have benefited from an interdisciplinary approach. My colleague's experience underscored the need for efficient communication and teamwork among healthcare workers to offer the best possible patient care. I used a semi-structured interview technique in which I asked open-ended questions to allow my colleague to provide comprehensive responses. The semi-structured technique, according to Buys et al. (2022), can be effective for investigating complicated subjects and provides flexibility in questions based on the interviewee's answers. I began by asking my colleague about her experience with the problem and any difficulties she had while attempting to tackle it. This allowed her to discuss the issue from her perspective and offer insight into the situation.

My colleague reported a case in which a patient was readmitted to the hospital numerous times for the same condition, indicating a failure to manage the patient's care properly. She mentioned that part of the hospital's healthcare team was concerned with the lack of cooperation across departments and specializations. According to Allen (2018), this lack of coordination can harm patients by prolonging hospital stays, increasing the likelihood of readmission, and raising healthcare costs. My colleague highlighted the importance of excellent communication and teamwork among healthcare providers to deliver comprehensive care. We spoke about various solutions, such as using an interdisciplinary approach to patient care. To guarantee a thorough and holistic approach to patient care, the interdisciplinary technique entails the coordination of treatment among multiple healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, social health workers, and therapists. An interdisciplinary approach, according to Arthur et al. (2018), can enhance patient outcomes, save healthcare expenditures, and improve care quality. We also talked about the significance of clear communication among healthcare professionals, the use of shared decision-making, and the integration of technology to improve communication and coordination between departments in the hospital.

Identification of the Issue Raised in the Interview

The issue identified during the interview was a lack of coordination and communication among healthcare providers, which resulted in a patient being readmitted many times for the same condition. This issue emphasizes the need for an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach to patient care, which includes care coordination across various healthcare providers to guarantee a thorough and holistic approach to patient care in the hospital. A major issue in healthcare settings is a lack of communication and coordination among healthcare personnel, which can lead to adverse outcomes for patients such as increased hospital stays, readmissions, and unexpected expenses (Bligaard & Burau, 2021). The patient's readmissions, in this case, were caused by a lack of coordination and communication among caregivers, resulting in a fragmented approach to care that failed to address the underlying causes of the patient's condition.

An evidence-based multidisciplinary approach to patient treatment can enhance patient outcomes while also lowering healthcare expenditures and improving care quality (Salisbury et al., 2018). To guarantee a thorough and holistic approach to patient care, this approach involves the coordination of treatment among multiple healthcare experts, including doctors, nurses, social health workers, and therapists. The approach entails using shared decision-making, clear communication, and technological integration to improve communication and collaboration among departments in the hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) both promote the interdisciplinary approach to patient care, recognizing the necessity of cooperation and communication among healthcare professionals in providing optimal patient care (Šarac et al., 2022). The interdisciplinary approach also aligns with the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, which promotes a team-based approach to patient care that involves a variety of healthcare professionals (Mazevska et al., 2022). In this case, using an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach to patient care could have prevented readmissions and improved treatment quality. An interdisciplinary approach would have enabled care coordination among multiple healthcare experts, such as physicians, nurses, and social health workers, to address the underlying issues causing the patient's condition and provide comprehensive care. Shared decision-making and clear communication would have guaranteed that all healthcare providers engaged in the patient's care were informed of the patient's condition and treatment plan.

Potential Change Theories and Leadership Strategies

Several change theories and leadership strategies can be utilized to inform an interdisciplinary solution to the organizational problem identified in the interview. Lewin's change model, which incorporates three stages: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing, is one potential change theory that can be used (Ellis & Abbott, 2018). The necessity for change is established during the unfreezing step, and the present system is examined. The new system is introduced and the appropriate modifications are made during the changing stage. The new system is reinforced and stabilized during the refreezing cycle to ensure long-term viability. This model's use would entail identifying the need for change in the healthcare organization, establishing an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, and reinforcing the approach to ensure its long-term viability.

The transtheoretical model, which includes five stages (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance) is another potential change theory that can be utilized (Hayotte et al., 2020). There is no intention to change during the pre-contemplation stage. The individual in the contemplation stage ponders change but no action is taken. The individual prepares to take action during the preparation stage. The individual implements change throughout the action stage and maintains change throughout the maintenance stage. The use of this model would entail identifying healthcare workers at various levels of preparation to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, adapting interventions to their level of readiness, and providing continuous support to maintain the change.

Transformational leadership and shared leadership are two leadership methods that could be used to facilitate the change process. Transformational leadership entails inspiring and encouraging followers to work toward a common goal, whereas shared leadership is delegating leadership roles among team members (Bush, 2018). Transformational leadership entails inspiring and motivating healthcare professionals to take an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, whereas shared leadership entails delegating leadership responsibilities among team members to ensure effective communication and coordination across departments. An interdisciplinary approach to patient care would also need the adoption of effective communication techniques. Communication strategies such as the use of electronic health records, standardized handoffs, and regular team meetings could be implemented to improve communication and coordination between healthcare professionals (Reno et al., 2019).

Collaboration Approaches

To solve the organizational issue identified in the interview, establishing and enhancing an interdisciplinary team needs effective collaboration techniques that improve communication, coordination, and cooperation among healthcare professionals. One approach that could facilitate collaboration is the use of team-based care, which involves the coordination of care among healthcare professionals to ensure a comprehensive and holistic approach to patient care (Allen, 2018). Team-based care would entail bringing together multiple healthcare experts, such as physicians, nurses, social health workers, and therapists, to ensure that every component of the patient's condition is handled properly. Another method of cooperation that can be employed is to define clear roles and duties for each healthcare professional on the interdisciplinary team. Clear roles and duties, according to Reno et al. (2019), can allow better communication, minimize the possibility of overlap or duplication of efforts, and enhance patient outcomes. This strategy entails defining the roles and duties of each healthcare professional on the interdisciplinary team as well as explaining the objectives and goals for each function and establishing clear lines of communication and responsibility.

The utilization of shared decision-making could also help healthcare professionals in the interdisciplinary team collaborate. Patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals are all included in the decision-making process in shared decision-making, ensuring that all stakeholders have a say in the patient's care (Munro et al., 2020). The interdisciplinary team can utilize shared decision-making to establish a care plan that combines the patient's preferences, values, and needs with input from all healthcare professionals engaged in the patient's care. Frequent team meetings and communication are also necessary for promoting collaboration among the healthcare experts on the interdisciplinary team. Frequent team meetings allow healthcare workers to discuss patient care, share information, and work together to solve complicated issues (Reno et al., 2019). Excellent communication strategies such as the use of electronic health records, consistent handovers, and explicit communication procedures, can help healthcare workers and departments communicate and effectively coordinate care within the hospital.

Conclusion

To conclude,  lack of coordination and communication can have detrimental consequences for patients in the hospital hence emphasizing the need for an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach to patient care. incorporation of change theories, leadership strategies, and collaboration approaches can help to develop and enhance an interdisciplinary team to handle organizational difficulties like the one identified in the interview which involved multiple readmissions of a patient which could have been avoided through professional inter-collaboration.  Effective communication strategies coupled with regular team meetings and proper communication guidelines can help healthcare professionals in different departments within the hospital to communicate better and coordinate patient-centered care for improved healthcare outcomes. By working together and implementing evidence-based practices, healthcare professionals can improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and provide optimal patient care.

References

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