Dynamic and distributed exchanges: an interview study of interprofessional communication in rehabilitation

Abstract

Purpose

Interprofessional communication (IPC) in rehabilitation is important for patient care yet it has been shown to be variable and challenging. Existing research does not address the complexity of IPC in this setting. Understanding the influence of contextual factors on IPC may guide improvements to increase the effectiveness of communication within interprofessional teams.

Methods

From July 2020 to February 2021 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 healthcare professionals across Australia and New Zealand. Cultural Historical Activity Theory provided a guiding theoretical and analytical framework for this qualitative study.

Results

Participants described engaging in IPC through evolving interactions, piecing together information that underpinned patient care. Meetings occurred frequently, however communication extended well beyond formalised interactions, often requiring individuals to balance clinical workload with communication tasks. IPC reportedly relied on communication tools, however navigating information from multiple sources was demanding.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that IPC contributes significantly to the workload of healthcare professionals in rehabilitation. IPC was integral in the provision of cohesive patient care, however it proved time consuming, effortful and at times frustrating and potentially erroneous. Our findings promote the need for rigorous examination of communication practices to ensure they are meeting the needs of an increasingly interprofessional workforce.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Healthcare professionals should recognise that time spent communicating within their team is a legitimate and important part of patient care.

• Rehabilitation teams should consider how they allocate resources for communication tasks.

• Teams should reconsider how they can use communication more effectively to save time by reducing repetition and errors.

Keywords:

• Communication
• healthcare professionals
• interprofessional relations
• patient care
• rehabilitation
• interviews

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participants who so generously gave up their time to share their experiences for this research. We would also like to acknowledge Professor Clare Delany and Dr Felicity Bright for their contribution to the conceptualisation of this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).