Abstract
Context
Palliative care (PC) interventions improve quality outcomes for surgical patients,
yet they are underutilized in the perioperative period. Developing cross-disciplinary
provider relationships increases PC consults. However, the attributes of collaborative
relationships and how they evolve are unclear.
Objectives
To identify perceptions of PC providers and surgeons on how collaborative cross-disciplinary
relationships are built and maintained in the perioperative period.
Methods
This cross-sectional multiphase qualitative study included 23 semistructured interviews
with 10 PC teams (20 providers) and 13 surgeons at geographically distributed Veteran
Health Administration (VHA) sites. An analytic approach relied on team-based thematic
analysis with a dual review (Krippendorf α above 0.8).
Results
Respondents defined successful collaborative work relationships between PC and surgeons
as having the following features: 1) mutual trust; 2) mutual respect; 3) perceived
usefulness; 4) shared clinical objectives; 5) effective communication; and 6) organizational
enablers. In addition, the analysis elucidated a framework of six strategies for developing
collaborative relationships between PC and surgical teams in the perioperative period:
1) being present, available, and responsive; 2) understanding roles; 3) establishing
communication; 4) recognizing an intermediary and connecting role of supporting team
members; 5) working as a team; and 6) building on previous experiences.
Conclusion
The study informs future interventions to improve the quality of care for seriously
ill patients by better-involving PC in the perioperative period. Future work will
extend this approach to incorporate the perspectives of patients on their providers’
collaboration and how it impacts patient-related outcomes at the intersection of PC
and surgery.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 13, 2023
Accepted:
December 26,
2022
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
