Healthcare professionals’ experiences of interprofessional collaboration during palliative patients’ transfer of care setting: a focus group study

Although exercises improve the outcome of patients with osteoarthritis, patient compliance is poor. Behaviour modification and measuring compliance remain the Holy Grail of healthcare professionals. The responses of a focus group of 20 volunteers to a novel automatic compliance recording augmented reality exercise app were studied. Full compliance was achieved in all cases and was measured and recorded by the app. Overall, the app itself received favorable responses regarding the user interface and user experience.

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Positioning work-related stress – General practitioners’ reasoning about a brief intervention

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1024 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

A-M Hultén ◽

S Dahlin-Ivanoff ◽

K Holmgren

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

General Practitioners ◽

Interprofessional Collaboration ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Daily Work ◽

Work Related ◽

Primary Health ◽

Related Stress

Abstract Background General practitioners (GP) can find it difficult to early detect and treat ill health due to work-related stress. In a randomized controlled trial, a brief early intervention using the work stress questionnaire (WSQ) combined with feedback at consultation was tested to reduce sick leave. This study explored GPs' reasoning about using the intervention. Methods A focus group study was performed with 23 GPs at six primary health care centers, each constituting one focus group. The discussions, lasting between 30-45 minutes, were analyses based on a method by Krueger. Results The GPs positioned work-related stress by making fundamental standpoints on stress and how it should be handled, in order to make sense of their work concerning work-related stress. In addition, they acted to the best of their ability with assigned resources to treat patients with ill health due to stress. Further, the GPs set their regular and preferred way of practicing daily work against the intervention's degree of intrusion and benefits. When the resources and daily work changed, the GPs formed a revised understanding of stress and how it should be handled. Conclusions The GPs found their ordinary way of working to be sufficient for early identification and treatment of patients with ill health due to work-related stress. However, when resources were scarce, the responsibility to handle these patients was questioned. Competence and interprofessional collaboration are therefore needed to early identify and treat ill health due to work-related stress. In addition, the GPs' responsibility in relation to other actors must be clarified. Key messages The primary health care’s role for patients perceiving work-related stress was not given. The GPs’ confidence in addressing ill health due to work-related stress depended on assigned resources.

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Healthcare professionals at the Gazan public hospitals: are they collaborative?

Journal of Integrated Care ◽

10.1108/jica-08-2020-0050 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Iyad Ibrahim Shaqura ◽

Radwan Baroud ◽

Ali Akbari Sari

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Focus Group ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Information Exchange ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Interprofessional Collaboration ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Content Type

PurposeThis study aimed to assess interprofessional collaboration among healthcare professionals at governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip.Design/methodology/approachThis is qualitative study at six governmental hospitals, four general and two specialized. Thirty healthcare professionals were purposefully recruited to seven semi-structured interviews and three focus group discussions. Analysis was carried out using the open-coded thematic analysis.FindingsEight themes had been identified: (1) unity of goals among health professionals, (2) physicians as team leaders, (3) patient involvement, (4) decision-making and conflict management (5) relationships among professionals, (6) general responsibilities and autonomy, (7) mutual trust and information exchange and (8) collaboration with the community to coordinate care. The first three themes were impediments, whilst “decision-making and conflict resolution” was a significant enabler of interprofessional collaboration. The last four themes were the lowest in their level and varied from one hospital to another as well.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation in this study was the number of participants; a relatively large sample might be needed for more data saturation. Therefore, health professionals from diverse backgrounds and different managerial levels have been recruited.Practical implicationsPolicymakers could rely upon the recommendations in strengthening the enablers of interprofessional collaboration and overcoming barriers, both on system, organizational and individual levels.Originality/valueThis study was conducted at six hospitals of different specialties and sizes, and health professionals from different six professions have been recruited. In addition, two qualitative tools were used, interviews and focus group discussions.

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