scholarly journals Importance of effective collaboration between health professionals for the facilitation of optimal community diabetes care

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Melville-Smith ◽  
Garth E. Kendall
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Professional Support ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
The Impact

Diabetes places a significant burden on the individuals concerned, their families and society as a whole. The debilitating sequelae of diabetes can be limited or prevented altogether through strict glycaemic control. Despite the seemingly uncomplicated nature of the disorder, effective management can be elusive, as the impact of having to deal with diabetes on a daily basis can be profound and appropriate professional support is not always readily available. As the roles of general practitioners (GPs) and allied health professionals have evolved, a major issue now facing all is that of developing and maintaining effective collaborative relationships for the facilitation of optimal community diabetes care. Using a simple survey methodology, the present exploratory study investigated the referral patterns of GPs to diabetic educators (DEs) working for a community health service in an Australian town, and reasons for referral and non-referral in order to identify factors that contribute to a sound and sustainable collaborative relationship. The results provide some evidence that GPs and DEs in this town do work collaboratively towards achieving client-centred goals and highlight the need to inform GPs who are new to communities, such as this one, of the available DE services. Most importantly, the study identified that there are many opportunities to strengthen collaboration so as to facilitate optimal community diabetes care. This information is valuable, because there is limited empirical evidence either nationally or internationally about the process of collaboration between health professionals in the management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes.

scholarly journals Importance of safety climate, teamwork climate and demographics: understanding nurses, allied health professionals and clerical staff perceptions of patient safety

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e000433
Author(s):  
Shahram Zaheer ◽  
Liane R Ginsburg ◽  
Hannah J Wong ◽  
Kelly Thomson ◽  
Lorna Bain
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Safety Climate ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Senior Leadership ◽  
Staff Perceptions ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Leadership Support ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThere is growing evidence regarding the importance of contextual factors for patient/staff outcomes and the likelihood of successfully implementing safety improvement interventions such as checklists; however, certain literature gaps still remain—for example, lack of research examining the interactive effects of safety constructs on outcomes. This study has addressed some of these gaps, together with adding to our understanding of how context influences safety.PurposeThe impact of staff perceptions of safety climate (ie, senior and supervisory leadership support for safety) and teamwork climate on a self-reported safety outcome (ie, overall perceptions of patient safety (PS)) were examined at a hospital in Southern Ontario.MethodsCross-sectional survey data were collected from nurses, allied health professionals and unit clerks working on intensive care, general medicine, mental health or emergency department.ResultsHierarchical regression analyses showed that perceptions of senior leadership (p<0.001) and teamwork (p<0.001) were significantly associated with overall perceptions of PS. A non-significant association was found between perceptions of supervisory leadership and the outcome variable. However, when staff perceived poorer senior leadership support for safety, the positive effect of supervisory leadership on overall perceptions of PS became significantly stronger (p<0.05).Practice implicationsOur results suggest that leadership support at one level (ie, supervisory) can substitute for the absence of leadership support for safety at another level (ie, senior level). While healthcare organisations should recruit into leadership roles and retain individuals who prioritise safety and possess adequate relational competencies, the field would now benefit from evidence regarding how to build leadership support for PS. Also, it is important to provide on-site workshops on topics (eg, conflict management) that can strengthen working relationships across professional and unit boundaries.

scholarly journals Patients’ perspectives on how to improve diabetes care and self-management: qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e032762
Author(s):  
Ruth Ndjaboue ◽  
Selma Chipenda Dansokho ◽  
Bianca Boudreault ◽  
Marie-Claude Tremblay ◽  
Maman Joyce Dogba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Individualised Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Expert Patients ◽  
Improve Diabetes Care

ObjectivePeople living with diabetes need and deserve high-quality, individualised care. However, providing such care remains a challenge in many countries, including Canada. Patients’ expertise, if acknowledged and adequately translated, could help foster patient-centred care. This study aimed to describe Expert Patients’ knowledge, wisdom and advice to others with diabetes and to health professionals to improve diabetes self-management and care.Design and methodsWe recruited a convenience sample of 21 men and women. Participants were people of diverse backgrounds who are Patient Partners in a national research network (hereafter Expert Patients). We interviewed and video-recorded their knowledge, wisdom and advice for health professionals and for others with diabetes. Three researchers independently analysed videos using inductive framework analysis, identifying themes through discussion and consensus. Expert Patients were involved in all aspects of study design, conduct, analysis and knowledge translation.ResultsAcknowledging and accepting the reality of diabetes, receiving support from family and care teams and not letting diabetes control one’s life are essential to live well with diabetes. To improve diabetes care, health professionals should understand and acknowledge the impact of diabetes on patients and their families, and communicate with patients openly, respectfully, with empathy and cultural competency.ConclusionExpert Patients pointed to a number of areas of improvement in diabetes care that may be actionable individually by patients or health professionals, and also collectively through intergroup collaboration. Improving the quality of care in diabetes is crucial for improving health outcomes for people with diabetes.

scholarly journals Qualitative investigation of the perceptions and experiences of nursing and allied health professionals involved in the implementation of an enriched environment in an Australian acute stroke unit

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e018226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid C M Rosbergen ◽  
Sandra G Brauer ◽  
Sarah Fitzhenry ◽  
Rohan S Grimley ◽  
Kathryn S Hayward
Keyword(s):  
Change Management ◽  
Acute Stroke ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Stroke Unit ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Enriched Environment ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Acute Stroke Unit ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveAn enriched environment embedded in an acute stroke unit can increase activity levels of patients who had stroke, with changes sustained 6 months post-implementation. The objective of this study was to understand perceptions and experiences of nursing and allied health professionals involved in implementing an enriched environment in an acute stroke unit.DesignA descriptive qualitative approach.SettingAn acute stroke unit in a regional Australian hospital.ParticipantsWe purposively recruited three allied health and seven nursing professionals involved in the delivery of the enriched environment. Face-to-face, semistructured interviews were conducted 8 weeks post-completion of the enriched environment study. One independent researcher completed all interviews. Voice-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed by three researchers using a thematic approach to identify main themes.ResultsThree themes were identified. First, staff perceived that ‘the road to recovery had started’ for patients. An enriched environment was described to shift the focus to recovery in the acute setting, which was experienced through increased patient activity, greater psychological well-being and empowering patients and families. Second, ‘it takes a team’ to successfully create an enriched environment. Integral to building the team were positive interdisciplinary team dynamics and education. The impact of the enriched environment on workload was diversely experienced by staff. Third, ‘keeping it going’ was perceived to be challenging. Staff reflected that changing work routines was difficult. Contextual factors such as a supportive physical environment and variety in individual enrichment opportunities were indicated to enhance implementation. Key to sustaining change was consistency in staff and use of change management strategies.ConclusionInvestigating staff perceptions and experiences of an enrichment model in an acute stroke unit highlighted the need for effective teamwork. To facilitate staff in their new work practice, careful selection of change management strategies are critical to support clinical translation of an enriched environment.Trial registration numberANZCTN12614000679684; Results.

Satisfaction with referral relationships between general practice and allied health professionals in Australian primary health care

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibiana Chan ◽  
Judy Proudfoot ◽  
Nick Zwar ◽  
Gawaine Powell Davies ◽  
Mark F. Harris
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Shared Care ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Optimal Care ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
The Impact

Chronic diseases require a multidisciplinary approach to provide patients with optimal care in general practice. This often involves general practitioners (GPs) referring their patients to allied health professionals (AHPs). The Team-link study explored the impact of an intervention to enhance working relationships between GPs and AHPs in general practice regarding the management of two chronic diseases: diabetes and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) or hypertension. The Measure of Multidisciplinary Linkages (MoML) questionnaire was developed to assess professional interactions and satisfaction with various aspects of the multidisciplinary relationship. Questionnaires were completed at baseline and 6 months by GPs (n = 29) participating in the Team-link project and by AHPs (n = 39) who had a current working relationship with these GPs. The Chronic Care Team Profile (CCTP) and Clinical Linkages Questionnaire (CLQ) were also completed by GPs. There were significant changes from baseline to 6 months after the intervention measures for individual items and overall MoML scores for GPs, especially items assessing ‘contact’, ‘shared care’ and ‘satisfaction with communication’. The comparable item in the CLQ, ‘Shared Care’, also showed significant improvement. However, there were no statistically significant correlations between the change in overall ‘Referral Satisfaction’ scores in the GP MoML and the CLQ. The CCTP also improved and was a weak negative correlation between the GP MoML and two of the subscores of this instrument. There were no changes in AHP measure. This study demonstrates that the instrument is sensitive to differences between providers and conditions and is sensitive to change over time following an intervention. There were few associations with the other measures suggesting that the MoML might assess other aspects of teamwork involving practitioners who are not collocated or in the same organisation.

Research culture in allied health: a systematic review

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Borkowski ◽  
Carol McKinstry ◽  
Matthew Cotchett ◽  
Cylie Williams ◽  
Terry Haines
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Positive Research ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
The Impact

Research evidence is required to guide optimal allied health practice and inform policymakers in primary health care. Factors that influence a positive research culture are not fully understood, and nor is the impact of a positive research culture on allied health professionals. The aim of this systematic review was to identify factors that affect allied health research culture and capacity. An extensive search of 11 databases was conducted in June 2015. Studies were included if they were published in English, had full-text availability and reported research findings relating to allied health professions. Study quality was evaluated using the McMaster Critical Review Forms. Fifteen studies were eligible for inclusion. A meta-analysis was not performed because of heterogeneity between studies. Allied health professionals perceive that their individual research skills are lower in comparison to their teams and organisation. Motivators for conducting research for allied health professionals include developing skills, increasing job satisfaction and career advancement. Barriers include a lack of time, limited research skills and other work roles taking priority. Multilayered strategies, such as collaborations with external partners and developing research leadership positions, aimed at addressing barriers and enablers, are important to enhance allied health research culture and capacity.

scholarly journals The CDM-Net Project: The Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Broadband-Based Network for Managing Chronic Disease

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Kay Jones ◽  
Trisha Dunning ◽  
Beth Costa ◽  
Kristine Fitzgerald ◽  
Akuh Adaji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Disease Management ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Chronic Disease Management ◽  
Management Service ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Background. In Australia most chronic disease management is funded by Medicare Australia through General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMPs) and Team Care Arrangements (TCAs). Identified barriers may be reduced effectively using a broadband-based network known as the Chronic Disease Management Service (CDMS). Aims. To measure the uptake and adherence to CDMS, test CDMS, and assess the adherence of health providers and patients to GPMPs and TCAs generated through CDMS. Methods. A single cohort before and after study. Results. GPMPs and TCAs increased. There was no change to prescribed medicines or psychological quality of life. Attendance at allied health professionals increased, but decreased at pharmacies. Overall satisfaction with CDMS was high among GPs, allied health professionals, and patients. Conclusion. This study demonstrates proof of concept, but replication or continuation of the study is desirable to enable the impact of CDMS on diabetes outcomes to be determined.

Maintaining hope: the intrinsic role of professional support

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh-ann L. Onnis ◽  
Geraldine Dyer
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Professional Support ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Improved Stability ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the supportive aspects of a team approach for a remote mental health team that report high stability in senior clinical roles, in a region where voluntary turnover is typically high. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research study examines the reflections of team members on their role and job characteristics through informal semi-structured interviews. Findings The extant themes identified as supportive aspects of the team approach included engagement and both personal and professional support. The intrinsic role of support in remote work environments, and the impact of intrinsic job satisfaction through client-focussed practices further supported low turnover, improved stability and consistency of service provision. Originality/value Continued support for existing experienced health professionals will contribute to workforce stability in remote regions where needs are complex and continuity of care is improved by consistent, reliable services. With health professionals working in remote Australia reporting high levels of job satisfaction; it follows that the next steps involve minimising dissatisfaction through effective workforce support mechanisms. Health professionals already working in remote regions, suggest that this is about engagement and personal and professional support through flexible work systems. While the findings of this study may not be generalisable, the authors suggest that these supportive aspects are transferable to other multi-disciplinary team settings.

scholarly journals Recreational Therapy in Nursing Homes: History, Regulations, COVID-19, and Beyond

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarah Loy ◽  
Dawn DeVries ◽  
M. Jean Keller
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Recreational Therapy ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Nursing Home Setting ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Future Practice

The current pandemic has changed the way allied health professionals, including recreational therapists, provide care in the nursing home setting. This article aims to address concerns for older adults residing in nursing homes by reviewing the history of nursing homes, analyzing the impact regulations have had on the recreational therapy profession, and offering considerations for future practice in a COVID-19 world.

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