Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Owing to rising medical costs, the quality-of-care provision in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has declined substantially in recent years. The increasing challenges of the healthcare systems related to the complexity of diseases and the advancement of treatment approaches necessitate integrating qualitatively new methods of care delivery. Some researchers have advocated using multidisciplinary healthcare teams (MDHTs) as an effective measure for continuously improving the care delivery process (Carney et al., 2019; Gomez et al., 2019; Parker et al., 2021). MDHTs refer to groups of healthcare providers wherein members with expertise in different areas collaborate to guide clinical decision-making (Fradgley et al., 2021). Indeed, Zajac et al. (2021) found that using MDHTs over traditional models of care was associated with improved decision-making and more effective execution of tasks. Moreover, in the context of the contemporary rapidly changing world, the focus on long-term outcomes for organizations and communities is essential for health care settings, which validates consolidation of interdisciplinary efforts (Joseph-Richard & McCray, 2022). Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
However, the effective utilization of MDHTs in the KSA is limited by the nation’s health systems in transition. Studies have confirmed that collaboration between care professionals is affected by institutional and environmental factors (Amgalan et al., 2021) that can aggravate pre-existing barriers (Wei et al., 2022) and thereby undermine the realization of common goals and objectives. Indeed, multiple research studies conducted to identify management-related issues in the implementation of MDHTs indicate that the ineffectiveness in the exchange of information and cooperation between the members of MDHTs is one of the most significant challenges (Abdi et al., 2015). Moreover, Andreatta (2010) and Molleman et al. (2010) identify another challenge in terms of managing MDHTs due to their distinction from non-health teams, which is why the implementation of conventional multidisciplinary teams frameworks requires additional processing and adaptation to meet the needs of the healthcare setting. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
BUY TODAY FREE PAPER HERE
Furthermore, transitioning healthcare systems undergo transformational processes in terms of policy implementation and integration of new approaches, which only complicates the opportunities for effective functioning of MDHTs (O’Reilly et al., 2017). The internal healthcare team’s managerial issues, including absenteeism, dysfunctional workplace relationships, and limited awareness about the functioning of MDHTs, also serve as barriers to effective multidisciplinary care delivery (Jalil et al., 2013). Such obstacles identified in the contemporary healthcare system in the KSA inform the practice and research gap, contributing to the relevance of this research study. Therefore, Buljac-Samardzic et al. (2020) recommend strategically targeting these contingencies using MDHT training interventions to resolve issues and foster collaboration. The effectiveness of such an exercise will likely vary depending on the context. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Despite the availability of an extensive body of research literature on the managerial challenges of the MDHTs’ functioning and the perceived advantages of adhering to a multidisciplinary health care delivery system, there is a substantial research gap. Indeed, it is related to the lack of comprehensive and sufficient research on the particular needs of MDHTs development, and the ways training might benefit the quality and efficiency of care delivery. Accordingly, in this study, we examined the extent to which existing training interventions in the KSA are effective in eliminating barriers and promoting enablers to collaboration between members of MDHTs. In particular, this study’s central research question was: To what extent have existing training interventions for MDHTs, in the KSA been successful in diffusing barriers and promoting enablers to collaboration between healthcare professionals? Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Literature Review
The context for the research was based on the results of a systematic review of the recently published scholarly studies on the management of healthcare teams. A large body of literature has been reviewed to identify pivotal themes in the current research on the topic of MDHTs. The pivotal role of MDHTs, the challenges for their effective functioning, and the importance of understanding their conceptualization and the need for training are most commonly addressed in the current literature. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
The Importance of and Need for MDHTs
Research shows that the performance of individual specialists in isolation is less effective in tackling complex issues such as healthcare problems compared to a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach. The adherence to teamwork in MDHTs allows for effective communication and interaction between the participants to improve patients’ quality of life through the delivery of timely, evidence-based care (Aguirre- Duarte, 2015). Moreover, the ineffectiveness or the lack of teamwork in the healthcare setting is manifested through the conventional approaches’ procedural and operational deficiencies (Breslin, 2022). Indeed, non-team-based approaches to health care delivery have been found to fail to meet the needs of critical care.
Indeed, the readmission of patients to different specialists without a specifically outlined procedure might apply to the cases of primary care diseases where immediate action is less required (Buckland, 2016). Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay However, for the complicated cases when time efficiency is vitally important, and the decision-making should be fast and reliable, the lives and well-being of patients might be hindered due to the lack of impaired functioning of MDHTs (Abdulrahman, 2011).
MDHTs comprise healthcare providers with different areas of expertise who collaborate to guide the clinical decision-making process. This approach is widely accepted as the gold standard of care provision across a range of contexts (Lamprell et al., 2019; Morton et al., 2017) owing to multiple associated benefits such as reduced costs and enhanced patient outcomes (Zajac et al., 2021; Davis et al., 2021; Taberna et al., 2020). In addition, the impairments in MDHT’s functioning as efficient units have been found to be a significant factor jeopardizing patient safety (Lorenzini et al., 2021). Indeed, workplace conflicts and non-synchronized collaboration migth hinder patient outcomes both in short- and long-term perspecitves. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Barriers to MDHTs’ Functioning
The success of MDHTs hinges upon effective collaboration between affiliated members that can be influenced by various barriers and enablers. Hatton et al. (2021), for example, identified members’ lack of knowledge, role confusion, poor interpersonal skills, excessive workload, and profession-specific goals and team hierarchy as impediments to collaboration; Duncan et al. (2020) and Maharaj et al. (2020) concurred. Similar findings have been introduced by other scholars who identified that non-technical skills, information exchange proficiency, and poor quality of interpersonal relationships between the specialists on a team serve as some of the most significant obstacles to effective MDHTs functioning (McNeil, Mitchell, & Parker, 2013; Weller et al., 2014). Conversely, Sørensen et al. (2018) observed standardized procedures for documenting and handling data, establishing local specialized MDHTs, and sharing knowledge to promote collaboration among interdisciplinary professionals. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Institutional and environmental factors also influence the success of the interdisciplinary collaboration. They represent the broader social context in which MDHTs are embedded and define the nature of the assigned tasks, allocated timeframe, and governance structure for the teams (Moirano et al., 2020). Such concerns are particularly pertinent for transitioning health systems rife with challenges, including poor teamwork, competency mismatches, and scarcity of qualified healthcare professionals (Amgalan et al., 2021). Moreover, the ambiguity and non-clarity of team member roles in interdisciplinary collaborations in healthcare settings serve as barriers to achieving equity for patient care (Carey & Taylor, 2021). Several studies have further advocated using interprofessional education (IPE) to empower healthcare professionals and students to work in MDHTs (Homeyer et al., 2018; Guraya & Barr, 2018; Reed et al., 2021). Documented advantages of IPE include increased mutual respect, improved understanding of professional roles, effective communication, and better patient outcomes (Homeyer et al., 2018). Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Training of MDHTs
Given the importance of MDHTs and the barriers to their adequate implementation, the need for effective MDHT training is justified. Unique training interventions can be modeled in line with IPE principles to encourage collaboration between care professionals in MDHTs (Miller et al., 2019). Notably, healthcare organizations are characterized by hyper-complexity, steep hierarchies, time pressure, high task interdependence, and involvement of multiple decision-makers, giving rise to stress and fatigue that can compromise team outcomes (Salas et al., 2018). Training interventions, including simulation courses, interactive workshops, team debriefing, assessments, facilitated discussions, presentations, role-playing, and communication seminars, can assist team members in navigating the complex environment of healthcare institutions (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2020). Training interventions for MDHTs can therefore play an important role in enhancing care provision at healthcare facilities via a wide range of pathways. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
The use of MDHTs in transitioning health systems is crucial, as it has been noted to optimize care delivery, reduce waste and burden on the system, and ensure sustainability (Braithwaite et al., 2018). Moreover, there is a significant need for training communication skills in interdisciplinary teams ofg hyealthcare workjers in agreements with the requirements of their department’s speciality due to the core relevance of good communication capabilities of professionals to the quality and efficiency of their services (Nieuwoudt et al., 2021). Advantages linked with the use of multidisciplinary training interventions include improvements in individual and team performance, clinical and non-technical knowledge, mutual respect, situational awareness, communication, job satisfaction, organizational learning, hospital transition, and timeliness and deterioration in autonomous cultural attitudes and perceptions of inadequate staffing levels (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2020). Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Health systems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are currently under transition following the introduction of strategic reforms to address rising costs of care and population growth (Rahman & Alsharqi, 2018), offering a rich context to examine collaboration-related concerns associated with MDHTs. Furthermore, since the quality-of-care provision in the Kingdom is dwindling (Alatawi et al., 2020), it is also possible to determine if multidisciplinary training interventions can improve collaboration and patient outcomes. The current study investigates these concerns to identify pathways for ameliorating the Saudi Health System using a qualitative research design to conduct semi-structured interviews. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
The Socio-Institutional Theory
The theoretical framework for the conducted study is the socio-institutional theory. It holds that for the adequate functioning of an organization, its stakeholders should be treated as influential and legitimate participants whose operational and social contributions are valued (Scott, 1995). The pivotal consideration within this theory is the idea that organizations should be structured and managed from the perspective of their functioning as social units (Scott, 2008). This theoretical approach allows for shifting from the mere rationalization of the actions to the emphasis on inter-personal interactions, legitimate practices, resilience, and productive cooperation (Scott, 1995). Ultimately, the use of this theory allows for justifying the importance of non-technical skills, communication competencies, and teamwork proficiency training as the most effective issues in MDHTs development. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Conceptual Model
The conceptual model for the conducted study is presented in Figure 1. It incorporates the multiple factors predetermining the necessity of training for healthcare teams to improve interdisciplinary benefits. The first level of factors is the team level, which includes team demands and team resources, which influence the opportunity for training and ultimate change. The second level of factors includes benefits, which are anticipated for both individual team members and whole teams. Finally, the third level of factors influencing training needs is the outcome-based factors, which include changes to procedures and systems. The changes might be obtained through the overcoming of the duality of communication. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Methodology
Study Design
This study adopted an exploratory qualitative design; its methodology employed the consolidated criteria checklist for reporting qualitative research by Tong et al. (2007). Qualitative exploration is suitable for examining under-researched topics such as the effectiveness of extant training interventions for MDHTs in the KSA (Fox et al., 2018). The approach further supports data collection using semi-structured interviews to identify prominent barriers and enablers to collaboration between members of MDHTs. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Setting and Participants
Three KSA healthcare institutions (hospitals) were selected as research sites. The institutions were chosen to inform insight into the differences between hospitals of varying sizes (70 beds, 500 beds, and 1000 beds) and from distinct regions in the Kingdom. Participant recruitment was performed using a purposive sampling strategy; qualitative research is predicated upon selecting the most appropriate respondents who can provide an in-depth understanding of the investigated phenomenon (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). A letter elaborating the study scope and purpose and requesting participation was sent to the human resource departments of the research sites. A total of 50 respondents were shortlisted as the sample pool based on their involvement in MDHTs for no less than six months. The authors attempted to balance different professions; however, allied health professionals were overrepresented due to limited staff availability. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Data Collection
Data was gathered using one-on-one semi-structured interviews that lasted for about one hour each to ensure sufficient depth and breadth of information. A checklist of semi-structured questions was used as a guide to prompt discussions while permitting the respondents to present queries, seek clarification, and/or offer in-depth reflections. The topics covered in the guide included common enablers and barriers to collaboration between members of MDHTs and the participants’ evaluation of the effectiveness of existing training interventions. All interviews were conducted over videoconferencing apps. Informed consent was verbally obtained from the respondents before beginning the interviews. The interviews were digitally recorded with the participants’ permission. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Data Analysis
The digital recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was undertaken to detect patterns of meaning across the dataset (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Firstly, the transcripts were reread alongside the video recording to verify accuracy. This method of data analysis allowed for researchers’ familiarization with the data. Following rereading, the transcripts were coded using a cumulative process that determined trends in accordance with the emerging themes rather than assessing the data’s conformity to literature (Collis & Hussey, 2003). The codes were interpreted to identify themes pertinent to different dimensions of MDHTs. Thus, the themes were compared with each other to detect commonalities and typical features. Topics were derived for each theme as contributing factors based on the data coding results. Lastly, the transcripts were segregated across the categories of positive, neutral, and negative to ascertain the potential for adaptive change in the Saudi Health System within the MDHT context. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay
Ethical Considerations
The study was performed in conformity to the principles of informed consent, data confidentiality, and participant anonymity. Respondents also had the right to withdraw consent at any point in the study. Approval for the study design was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University of Newcastle. The authors additionally completed a course in conducting clinical trials with human participants at the request of the study sites. No conflicts of interest were reported as the study was funded by the Saudi government. Examining Progress Towards Collaborative Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Essay