Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives
Abstract Background The communication processes between different stakeholders in outpatient palliative care face challenges when multiprofessional teams want to keep each other updated on patient information. Meanwhile, the software market offers different tools to connect these teams in real-time...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Palliative Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01141-4 |
| _version_ | 1797863229948428288 |
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| author | Anastasia Suslow Chantal Giehl Jannis Hergesell Horst Christian Vollmar Ina Otte |
| author_facet | Anastasia Suslow Chantal Giehl Jannis Hergesell Horst Christian Vollmar Ina Otte |
| author_sort | Anastasia Suslow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The communication processes between different stakeholders in outpatient palliative care face challenges when multiprofessional teams want to keep each other updated on patient information. Meanwhile, the software market offers different tools to connect these teams in real-time to improve communication. In the research project ADAPTIVE (Impact of Digital Technologies in Palliative Care), we investigated how information and communication technology affects collaboration and work in multiprofessional teams and what advantages and disadvantages the use of said software might entail. Methods We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews between August and November 2020 with general practitioners (n = 8), palliative care nurses (n = 17), and a pharmacist (n = 1). They were conducted in a hybrid format, meaning that both face-to-face interviews and telephone interviews were carried out. Subsequently, we analyzed the interviews following the qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz. Results Information and communication software has the potential to enable faster communication and delegation of tasks and to simplify communication and task management between providers. Furthermore, it creates the opportunity to decrease unnecessary supervision of duties and responsibilities for physicians in multiprofessional teams. Therefore, it allows facilitating the collaboration between multiprofessional teams that work independently of each other but care for the same patients. All providers have the same knowledge about their patients without time-consuming coordination such as phone calls or search processes in paper documentation. On the other hand, mishandling, poor Internet connection, and unfamiliarity with various features can diminish these benefits. Conclusion Even though the use of such software offers many advantages, these advantages only reveal themselves if the software is used as it was intended by the developers. Misuse and unawareness of the individual functions can lead to the full potential not being realized. The software developers frequently offer specialized training, and the multiprofessional teams should utilize that to improve team communication, facilitate tasks, and allow physicians to delegate tasks. Trial registration The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00021603 (Registration number: DRKS00021603; date of first registration: 02/07/2020). |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:33:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dcb790d9166644a4bd013494f0ff2ecf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-684X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:33:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Palliative Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-dcb790d9166644a4bd013494f0ff2ecf2023-03-22T12:41:03ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2023-03-012211810.1186/s12904-023-01141-4Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectivesAnastasia Suslow0Chantal Giehl1Jannis Hergesell2Horst Christian Vollmar3Ina Otte4Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine (AM RUB), Ruhr University BochumInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine (AM RUB), Ruhr University BochumResearch Network of Old-Age Provision, Deutsche Rentenversicherung BundInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine (AM RUB), Ruhr University BochumInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine (AM RUB), Ruhr University BochumAbstract Background The communication processes between different stakeholders in outpatient palliative care face challenges when multiprofessional teams want to keep each other updated on patient information. Meanwhile, the software market offers different tools to connect these teams in real-time to improve communication. In the research project ADAPTIVE (Impact of Digital Technologies in Palliative Care), we investigated how information and communication technology affects collaboration and work in multiprofessional teams and what advantages and disadvantages the use of said software might entail. Methods We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews between August and November 2020 with general practitioners (n = 8), palliative care nurses (n = 17), and a pharmacist (n = 1). They were conducted in a hybrid format, meaning that both face-to-face interviews and telephone interviews were carried out. Subsequently, we analyzed the interviews following the qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz. Results Information and communication software has the potential to enable faster communication and delegation of tasks and to simplify communication and task management between providers. Furthermore, it creates the opportunity to decrease unnecessary supervision of duties and responsibilities for physicians in multiprofessional teams. Therefore, it allows facilitating the collaboration between multiprofessional teams that work independently of each other but care for the same patients. All providers have the same knowledge about their patients without time-consuming coordination such as phone calls or search processes in paper documentation. On the other hand, mishandling, poor Internet connection, and unfamiliarity with various features can diminish these benefits. Conclusion Even though the use of such software offers many advantages, these advantages only reveal themselves if the software is used as it was intended by the developers. Misuse and unawareness of the individual functions can lead to the full potential not being realized. The software developers frequently offer specialized training, and the multiprofessional teams should utilize that to improve team communication, facilitate tasks, and allow physicians to delegate tasks. Trial registration The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00021603 (Registration number: DRKS00021603; date of first registration: 02/07/2020).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01141-4Palliative carePalliative medicineMultiprofessional teamsCommunicationInformation and communication technologyQualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Anastasia Suslow Chantal Giehl Jannis Hergesell Horst Christian Vollmar Ina Otte Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives BMC Palliative Care Palliative care Palliative medicine Multiprofessional teams Communication Information and communication technology Qualitative research |
| title | Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives |
| title_full | Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives |
| title_fullStr | Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives |
| title_short | Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care – a qualitative study on providers’ perspectives |
| title_sort | impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care a qualitative study on providers perspectives |
| topic | Palliative care Palliative medicine Multiprofessional teams Communication Information and communication technology Qualitative research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01141-4 |
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