Development of a scale for measuring physician attitudes toward interprofessional education and collaboration

ABSTRACT

Interest has been increasing in interprofessional education and collaboration (IPEC) within health professional schools over the last two decades. Although a growing body of literature addresses the effects of IPEC on healthcare outcomes, psychometrically sound attitudinal instruments that measure concepts surrounding IPEC are still needed. The primary objective of this study was to develop a scale to measure the attitudes of attending physicians and residents toward IPEC. Based on a literature review, a set of questionnaire items was drafted to address all six domains outlined in a World Health Organization report for interprofessional learning outcomes. These domains are teamwork and collaboration, roles and responsibilities, communication, reflection and learning, the patient, and ethics and attitudes. A total of 379 physicians and trainees completed the questionnaire. A principal axis factoring with orthogonal varimax rotation of 20 items produced a 5-factor solution explaining 60% of the variance. Examination of the items in each factor led to the following labels: ‘teamwork and communication,’ ‘ethics and attitudes,’ ‘roles and responsibilities,’ ‘reflective practice,’ and ‘patient-centered care.’ A Generalized Linear Model provided initial evidence that the new scale might detect shifts in attitudes related to some of the emergent factors.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional collaboration
• survey development
• exploratory factor analysis
• physician perspectives

Declaration of interest

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael C. Banks

Michael C. Banks is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Banks received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his Masters of Education in Health Professions (MEHP) at the Johns Hopkins University.

Serkan Toy

Serkan Toy is an Assistant Professor and the Co-Director of Education Research Core in the Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) Department at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Toy completed an M.Ed. in Educational Technology at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instructional Technology at Iowa State University.