Exploring interprofessional collaboration and learning between ophthalmologists and managers in a private Spanish institution in order to make grounded recommendations for improvement

Session Details

Session Title: Ocular Pathology/Education & Training

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 17/09/2019 | 14:00-16:00

Paper Time: 15:36

Venue: Free Paper Forum: Podium 4

First Author: : C.Martin-Reyes SPAIN

Co Author(s): :    K. Dalrymple   P. Gomez-Borrero                          

Abstract Details

Purpose:

With this research study, I intend to explore the nature of interprofessional collaboration and learning that occurs between ophthalmologists and managers in my workplace, to be able to develop locally applicable recommendations in order to help them succeed when collaborating in an interprofessional manner. Improvement areas will be detected, and further research studies will be proposed, whilst spreading Medical Education knowledge and paradigms.

Setting:

Clinica Baviera, Spain. Baviera Group - AIER Eye Group

Methods:

Pragmatism was the overarching philosophy for this qualitative research, which was delivered by means of twelve in-depth semi-structured interviews, which included six ophthalmologists and six managers. The interviews were designed, conducted, and analysed by the author, following principles from the Grounded Theory as a methodology, and combined with an interpretivist theoretical framework explicitly informed by 3rd generation CHAT (cultural historical activity theory). Two co-researchers supported my study: a healthcare manager who is experienced in my own work setting, and an experienced educationalist.

Results:

Based on the analysis of the eight interviews, five main themes were derived, which included: (1) trust, professionalism and personal values; (2) collaborative attitudes; (3) communication skills; (4) institutional support; and (5) situational-related factors. On the side of the institution, clarifying goals and roles, allowing time for more formal and informal communication, actively enhancing working-teams, and the the use of mediation when needed, were described as features that could foster inter-professional collaboration. Three friction points were detected: (1) level of information delivered; (2) power struggles; and (3) knowing/understanding/collaborating with the other without interfering on his job.

Conclusions:

In summary, and based on their own reports, ophthalmologists and managers working at Clinica Baviera described the following factors as facilitating interprofessional collaboration: (1) providing clear common objectives, (2) demonstrating more support for mutual acquaintanceship (i.e. promoting professional and personal knowledge of the other) and mutual understanding on the part of the institution; (3) learning how to communicate effectively; and (4) having/developing a reflective and critical mindset that acknowledges/understands/accepts other well-grounded viewpoints.

Financial Disclosure:

gains financially from competing product or procedure, travel has been funded, fully or partially, by a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented, research is funded, fully or partially, by a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented, receives non monetary benefits from a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented, receives consulting fees, retainer, or contract payments from a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented, is employed by a competing company, has significant investment interest in a company producing, developing or supplying product or procedure presented