Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal
Since the advent of modern healthcare reforms, hospitals around the world have been under pressure to improve care quality while simultaneously reducing costs. The Affordable Care Act, electronic health records (EHR), and value-based healthcare programs are examples of recent reforms that have gained popularity. To achieve the goals of these reforms, hospitals must develop strategies, one of which is interdisciplinary collaboration.
Interdisciplinary collaboration refers to various disciplines working in integration to develop a care plan or set up a system (Flores-Sandoval et al., 2021). An interdisciplinary team may include but is not limited to nurses, physicians, health informatics specialists, and quality improvement specialists. Failure to form effective interdisciplinary team results in poor care plan design and a failed system implementation, resulting in a system that is not usable or meaningful to the facility.
The goal of this paper is to describe the scope of interdisciplinary collaboration, explain a change theory and a leadership strategy that can be used in change management, highlight collaborative strategies, and identify the organizational resources needed for change management.
Objectives of an Evidence-Based Interdisciplinary Plan
The case study at Clarion Court is a quintessence scenario in which interdisciplinary collaboration is needed. The case study depicts a failed interdisciplinary collaboration, as evidenced by the employees’ and the implementation coach’s poor communication, lack of mutual respect, and failed partnership.
The following are the objectives of an interdisciplinary plan: (1) to facilitate the integration of various disciplines in developing a care plan or establishing a system, (2) to address the fragmentation in healthcare caused by super-specialization in health, (3) to provide comprehensive care, and (4) to improve the efficiency of healthcare operations.
The first goal, interdisciplinary integration, ensures that various specialists provide insight into designing a care plan or implementing a system, such as the EHR at Clarion Court. The fragmentation in healthcare accounts for the increased number of specialists in major and minor fields, and thus one provider does not satisfy all the medical needs of a patient, necessitating the involvement of multiple specialists in different fields (Krause-Jüttler et al., 2022).
Comprehensive care improves patient care outcomes, reduces medical errors as the interdisciplinary team provides a more complete and accurate diagnosis, and speeds up patient treatment or system implementation (Krause-Jüttler et al., 2022). Regarding the final objective, improving the efficiency of healthcare operations is accomplished by providing accurate treatment and preventing medical errors, which necessitate fewer additional tests and investigations (Krause-Jüttler et al., 2022).
Furthermore, through collaborative efforts and effective patient care, an interdisciplinary team ensures earlier hospital discharges and lower readmission rates, resulting in increased hospital efficiency. To determine the success of an interdisciplinary plan, functional scores on patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and care provider satisfaction since the plan’s inception can be derived.
Explanation of a Change Theory and Leadership Strategies that Support Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Change is a necessary process, but its acceptance is critical for the future. While some employees may resist change, others have realized that it is unavoidable and a constant in their lives. There are several theories whose comprehension prepares an individual for change and keeps the individual willingly in an acceptable mood for the outcomes of change. Kurt Lewin proposed a three-stage change model known as the unfreezing-change-refreeze, his most influential change theory (Saleem et al., 2019).
The driving forces, restraining forces, and equilibrium are the three major concepts of Kurt Lewin’s change theory. The driving forces enable change to occur, such as the antiquated health records system at Clarion Court, which was held together with duct tape and baling wire (Saleem et al., 2019).
On the other hand, the restraining forces counteract the driving forces, such as the authoritarian leadership employed by the implementation couch. The equilibrium is a state in which the driving forces equal the restraining forces, and no change occurs.
Unfreezing, the first stage of the change process, entails figuring out how to get people to let go of old patterns of operation while embracing new ones. This could be accomplished at the Clarion Court facility through adequate employee training on the importance of the new EHR and how it works, rather than “a half-assed couple hours training,” as described in the case study.
The change stage is the actual movement to a new level, and it requires team members to think, behave, and act in their best appropriate form, whereas the refreezing stage is the establishment of new habits so that the change becomes a norm in the organization.
Leadership, as the engine of an organization, must be effectively orchestrated. Promoting shared decision-making is a strategy that ensures all employees are involved in the organization’s operation. Furthermore, establishing effective communication methods that are respectful of fellows’ opinions promotes peaceful interaction and change management (Légaré et al., 2018). Having a clear goal in mind and putting the needs of the patients first are similarly effective strategies in meeting the objectives of an interdisciplinary plan.
Collaboration needed by the Interdisciplinary Team to achieve the Plan’s Objectives
The importance of collaboration in healthcare cannot be overstated. Even though members of an interdisciplinary team may work independently of one another, they are all committed to achieving a common goal, which is usually developing a patient’s care plan or establishing a healthcare system. The first step in ensuring effective interdisciplinary collaboration is developing a care plan that is acceptable to the various disciplines involved.
The care plan must be created following current research and guidelines, it must be routinely updated, each discipline must contribute to its development, and it must be ready for EHR deployment (Krause-Jüttler et al., 2022). The second step is to integrate the care plan into the EHR and customize it to meet the needs of the facility, and the third step involves testing the usability of the care plan before finally adopting it.
Suppose all of the steps are carried out seamlessly without the need to rush through a phase. In that case, an ultimate system is built that is in tandem with the organization’s needs and expectations, and that reflects the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Organizational Resources needed for the Plan to Succeed
Change implementation has prerequisites, and their absence stymies the process. Since the process necessitates purchasing equipment, devices, and even labor, finances are an essential aspect of change management. The financial budget required for Clarion Court’s complete EHR implementation is unknown; however, several studies have estimated the funds needed for a successful process.
According to Fragidis and Chatzoglou (2018), a study sponsored by the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the implementation cost of EHR is approximately $32 606 per full-time equivalent physician, with a monthly maintenance cost of approximately $1500 per physician, and thus Clarion Court will require roughly the same amount in its dire need for a new EHR. Desktop computers, laptop computers, and tablets are among the items that the facility will need to purchase. The facility will also have to spend money on software and hardware consultations to determine which one to use.
The staffers and the implementation coach must be compensated for their logistics, food, and lodging during the implementation process, raising the EHR cost above the estimated cost. Human resources are critical in EHR implementation. Nurses, physicians, the quality improvement team, and health informatics all collaborate to achieve the objectives. Contrary to popular belief, employee attitudes are a critical driver of the change process.
Employees must be able to embrace the process, be willing to participate in it and be willing to accept the results. An adjunct resource or department that is seemingly invaluable to an organization in achieving its system implementation includes an effective communication office.
Conclusion
Healthcare is changing at a rapid pace as hospitals strive to improve patient care while lowering costs. Many hospitals have implemented one or more healthcare systems, including the EHR. While people may be uncertain about the change and fear loss, the outcomes can overwhelmingly benefit the stakeholders.
To avoid reluctance or resistance to change, it is recommended that a prodromal phase of intensive training be conducted to sensitize people to the yet-to-be-implemented change. People should be aware that, despite their best efforts, change may not occur. This, however, should not impede progress because the change can always be resurrected at a later date.
References
Flores-Sandoval, C., Sibbald, S., Ryan, B. L., & Orange, J. B. (2021). Healthcare teams and patient-related terminology: a review of concepts and uses: Healthcare teams and patient-related terminology. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 35(1), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12843
Fragidis, L. L., & Chatzoglou, P. D. (2018). Implementation of a nationwide electronic health record (EHR): The international experience in 13 countries. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 31(2), 116–130. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-09-2016-0136
Krause-Jüttler, G., Weitz, J., & Bork, U. (2022). Interdisciplinary collaborations in digital health research: Mixed methods case study. JMIR Human Factors, 9(2), e36579. https://doi.org/10.2196/36579
Légaré, F., Adekpedjou, R., Stacey, D., Turcotte, S., Kryworuchko, J., Graham, I. D., Lyddiatt, A., Politi, M. C., Thomson, R., Elwyn, G., & Donner-Banzhoff, N. (2018). Interventions for increasing the use of shared decision-making by healthcare professionals. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7(7), CD006732. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006732.pub4
Saleem, S., Sehar, S., Afzal, M., Jamil, A., & Gilani, D. S. A. (2019). Accreditation: Application of Kurt Lewin’s theory on private health care organizational change. Saudi Journal of Nursing and Health Care, 02(12), 412–415. https://doi.org/10.36348/sjnhc.2019.v02i12.003
NHS4010 Assessment 3 Instructions: Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal
For this assessment you will create a 2-4 page plan proposal for an interprofessional team to collaborate and work toward driving improvements in the organizational issue you identified in the second assessment.
The health care industry is always striving to improve patient outcomes and attain organizational goals. Nurses can play a critical role in achieving these goals; one way to encourage nurse participation in larger organizational efforts is to create a shared vision and team goals (Mulvale et al., 2016). Participation in interdisciplinary teams can also offer nurses opportunities to share their expertise and leadership skills, fostering a sense of ownership and collegiality.
You are encouraged to complete the Budgeting for Nurses activity before you develop the plan proposal. The activity consists of seven questions that will allow you the opportunity to check your knowledge of budgeting basics and as well as the value of financial resource management. The information gained from completing this formative will promote success with the Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal. Completing this activity also demonstrates your engagement in the course, requires just a few minutes of your time, and is not graded.
Demonstration of Proficiency
Competency 1: Explain strategies for managing human and financial resources to promote organizational health.
Explain organizational resources, including a financial budget, needed for the plan to be a success and the impacts on those resources if nothing is done, related to the improvements sought by the plan.
Competency 2: Explain how interdisciplinary collaboration can be used to achieve desired patient and systems outcomes.
Describe an objective and predictions for an evidence-based interdisciplinary plan to achieve a specific objective related to improving patient or organizational outcomes.
Explain the collaboration needed by an interdisciplinary team to improve the likelihood of achieving the plan’s objective. Include best practices of interdisciplinary collaboration from the literature.
Competency 4: Explain how change management theories and leadership strategies can enable interdisciplinary teams to achieve specific organizational goals.
Explain a change theory and a leadership strategy, supported by relevant evidence, that are most likely to help an interdisciplinary team succeed in collaborating and implementing, or creating buy-in for, the project plan.
Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly, evidence-based communication strategies to impact patient, interdisciplinary team, and systems outcomes.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions; contains few errors in grammar/punctuation, word choice, and spelling.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references, exhibiting nearly flawless adherence to APA format.
Reference
Mulvale, G., Embrett, M., & Shaghayegh, D. R. (2016). \'Gearing up\' to improve interprofessional collaboration in primary care: A systematic review and conceptual framework. BMC Family Practice, 17.
Professional Context
This assessment will allow you to describe a plan proposal that includes an analysis of best practices of interprofessional collaboration, change theory, leadership strategies, and organizational resources with a financial budget that can be used to solve the problem identified through the interview you conducted in the prior assessment.
Scenario
Having reviewed the information gleaned from your professional interview and identified the issue, you will determine and present an objective for an interdisciplinary intervention to address the issue.
Note: You will not be expected to implement the plan during this course. However, the plan should be evidence-based and realistic within the context of the issue and your interviewee\'s organization.
Instructions
For this assessment, use the context of the organization where you conducted your interview to develop a viable plan for an interdisciplinary team to address the issue you identified. Define a specific patient or organizational outcome or objective based on the information gathered in your interview.
The goal of this assessment is to clearly lay out the improvement objective for your planned interdisciplinary intervention of the issue you identified. Additionally, be sure to further build on the leadership, change, and collaboration research you completed in the previous assessment. Look for specific, real-world ways in which those strategies and best practices could be applied to encourage buy-in for the plan or facilitate the implementation of the plan for the best possible outcome.
Using the Interdisciplinary Plan Proposal Template [DOCX] will help you stay organized and concise. As you complete each section of the template, make sure you apply APA format to in-text citations for the evidence and best practices that inform your plan, as well as the reference list at the end.
Additionally, be sure that your plan addresses the following, which corresponds to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Please study the scoring guide carefully so you understand what is needed for a distinguished score.
Describe an objective and predictions for an evidence-based interdisciplinary plan to achieve a specific goal related to improving patient or organizational outcomes.
Explain a change theory and a leadership strategy, supported by relevant evidence, that is most likely to help an interdisciplinary team succeed in collaborating and implementing, or creating buy-in for, the project plan.
Explain the collaboration needed by an interdisciplinary team to improve the likelihood of achieving the plan’s objective. Include best practices of interdisciplinary collaboration from the literature.
Explain organizational resources, including a financial budget, needed for the plan to succeed and the impacts on those resources if the improvements described in the plan are not made.
Communicate the interdisciplinary plan, with writing that is clear, logically organized, and professional, with correct grammar and spelling, using current APA style.
Additional Requirements
Length of submission: Use the provided template. Remember that part of this assessment is to make the plan easy to understand and use, so it is critical that you are clear and concise. Most submissions will be 2 to 4 pages in length. Be sure to include a reference page at the end of the plan.
Number of references: Cite a minimum of 3 sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your central ideas. Resources should be no more than 5 years old.
APA formatting: Make sure that in-text citations and reference list follow current APA style.
Note: Faculty may use the Writing Feedback Tool when grading this assessment. The Writing Feedback Tool is designed to provide you with guidance and resources to develop your writing based on five core skills. You will find writing feedback in the Scoring Guide for the assessment, once your work has been evaluated.
Portfolio Prompt: Remember to save the final assessment to your ePortfolio so that you may refer to it as you complete the final Capstone course.