Benefits Of Interprofessional Collaboration

Interdisciplinary Team “Interprofessional collaboration refers to the coordination of patient care that is provided by a diverse group of healthcare practitioners (i.e., an interdisciplinary care team) working collaboratively to provide timely, safe, high quality, patient-centered care that relies on the unique knowledge and skills of each member of the healthcare team” (Wooten, 2017, para. 1). These groups usually include, but are not limited to: physicians, physical therapists, chaplains, social workers and dieticians. Working within an interdisciplinary group means that each member brings “to the table” their knowledge and skills to develop a patient-centered plan of care. Ideally, the patient is also included in these groups because the
Including each of these individuals supports the holistic approach to healthcare. These team members will improve Jack’s quality of life by: prescribing, reviewing, and monitoring the effects of his medications; monitoring for changes in his condition; listening to his psychosocial needs; bridging the gap between his hospitalization and end of life care; and providing emotional support to his wife. Having a specialist that is well versed in each of these areas will ensure Jack is receiving the highest quality of
To aid in Jack’s end of life care, his interdisciplinary team includes a hospice specialist to help focus on the quality of remaining life rather than extending his life (Eliopoulos, 2014). According to Kobayashi and McAllister (2016), “Hospice services are designed to provide comprehensive, holistic, palliative care to individuals and their families when the individual has an advanced terminal medical condition” (pg. 214). Since the hospice specialist works side by side with the patient and their family, they are better able to relay information about the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient to the rest of the team (Eliopoulos, 2014). Hospice can also assist his wife with the acceptance of his passing and provide counseling to help with her grieving. Hospice is an extremely big part in a patient's end of life