Interprofessional collaboration: An exploration of possible prerequisites for successful implementation

ABSTRACT

Poor collaboration among professional groups may be a major cause of incoherent patient pathways in hospital settings. For over a decade, interprofessional collaboration (IPC) have been stressed as an effective method to enhance the delivery of patient care. This article presents a theory-based stakeholder evaluation of the implementation of an intervention aiming to implement the concept of IPC in a Danish regional hospital from 2012 to 2015. Involving five departments and eight professions, the intervention aimed at developing coherent practices across health professions by optimising patient pathways with the establishment of interprofessional teams as a core element. The evaluation assessed the professionals’ views of the intervention. Data were collected through focus group interviews and document analysis. We found that a strengthened focus on patient pathways, well-trained instructors, and an evidence-based strategy for implementation facilitates the success of interventions with a focus on IPC in hospital settings. We furthermore found that cultural and organisational factors are barriers to the implementation of IPC practices, that interruptions of uni-professional work may hamper coordination across professions, and that the interprofessional teams may form new isolated organisational structures.

KEYWORDS:

• Implementation
• interprofessional collaboration
• interprofessional learning
• interprofessional team

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the support from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kolding Hospital and the contribution from all participating health professionals.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the writing and content of this article.