Joanne Goldman1; Robert Wu2; Ivan Silver3; Kathleen MacMillan4; Simon Kitto5; Scott Reeves6

1 Continuing Education and Professional Development and Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and The Wilson Centre, University Health Network. 2 Division of General Internal Medicine, University Health Network. 3 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. 4 School of Nursing, University of Prince Edward Island and University of New Brunswick. 5 Continuing Education and Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital and The Wilson Centre, University Health Network. 6 Center for Innovation in Interprofessional Healthcare Education, University of California, San Francisco and Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital

Synopsis

Interprofessional collaboration and patient safety have been identified as key issues in healthcare yet limited methodological and theoretical approaches have been used to study them. This study uses an ethnographic methodology to examine the practices of interprofessional collaboration and patient safety in general internal medicine. The findings will have important implications for interprofessional learning and safety and practice improvement in continuing professional development.

Introduction

Healthcare leaders have endorsed the importance of interprofessional collaboration and patient safety to improved health care, yet there is concern that change has been slow. This lack of progress may be attributed to insufficient engagement with the complexity of the conceptualization of interprofessional collaboration and patient safety within particular clinical contexts, and to the limited methodological and theoretical approaches used to study them. General internal medicine is one clinical area where initial studies have demonstrated problems with interprofessional collaboration and patient safety, and interventions have been implemented to address both areas; challenges however continue to exist. This study uses a qualitative approach to examine the practices of interprofessional collaboration and patient safety in general internal medicine.

Methods

An ethnographic methodology is being employed to explore individuals’ perceptions and behaviours and the role of the organizational context. The study setting is a general internal medicine ward in a Canadian urban hospital. Data collection consists of observations, interviews, and documentary analysis over a six month period. An inductive thematic analysis approach will be used.

Results

Data collection began in January 2012.