Interprofessional collaboration in hospitals: a critical, broad-based review of the literature

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is a common term applied in the healthcare literature, with suggestions it contributes to improved quality and safety of patient care across the globe. Despite worldwide implementation of models of IPC, past systematic or meta-reviews on this topic have concluded that the evidence is mixed. However, these reviews are yet to adequately consider the qualitative and mixed-methods literature on this topic. In this critical review, we synthesize the outcomes and key findings of IPC in hospitals, taking a broader approach by including diverse study designs. A total of 4,776 abstracts were screened from three major databases (Medline, CINAHL, Embase). Thirty-four studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. Although outcomes and key findings (e.g., staff turnover, error rates) were mostly positive, there were inconsistencies in the results. The included studies reflected a variety of study designs and different methodological approaches. Overall, our review revealed moderate evidence that IPC can positively influence patient, staff and organizational factors in hospitals, and that inconsistent findings may be due to variation in context (e.g., the cohort of patients). Recommendations from the review are to incorporate qualitative- and mixed-methods approaches to studying IPC in healthcare and tailor evaluations of IPC outcomes specific to the context.

KEYWORDS:

• Review
• interprofessional
• collaboration
• team
• context
• hospital

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Declaration of statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Training Program PhD Scholarship [2017236].

Notes on contributors

Chiara Pomare

Chiara Pomare (PhD Candidate) works in the Complex Systems Research Stream that uses a complexity lens to approach issues of quality and safety in the delivery of healthcare. Her research interests include complexity science, team dynamics and networks.

Janet C. Long

Dr Janet C. Long is a Senior Research Fellow and co-lead of the Complex Systems Research Stream. Her research interests are moving research into practice, interdisciplinary relationships and the impact of new technologies on real world practice.

Kate Churruca

Dr Kate Churruca is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and a co-lead of the Complex Systems Research Stream. Her research interests include the application of complexity science to understanding change in healthcare, and organisational culture and its impact on care delivery.

Louise A. Ellis

Dr Louise A. Ellis is a Research Fellow and co-lead of the Complex Systems Research Stream. Her specific research interests are mental health services and systems, implementation science and learning health systems.

Jeffrey Braithwaite

Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite is Founding Director of the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Director of the Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science and Professor of Health Systems Research at Macquarie University. Professor Braithwaite is a leading health services and systems researcher.