Health care professional

2-4 page report on an interview you have conducted with a health care professional. You will identify an issue from the interview that could be improved with an interdisciplinary approach, and review best practices and evidence to address the issue.

Full Answer Section

  The Interdisciplinary Approach An interdisciplinary approach to healthcare can help to address the issue of communication between different professionals. This approach involves bringing together professionals from different disciplines, such as medicine, nursing, and social work, to work together on patient care. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's needs, and can help to ensure that all of the professionals are on the same page. Best Practices There are a number of best practices that can be used to implement an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare. These include:
  • Creating a team of professionals from different disciplines who are responsible for the care of a particular patient.
  • Holding regular meetings between the members of the team to discuss the patient's care.
  • Developing a shared plan of care for the patient.
  • Communicating with each other regularly about the patient's progress.
Evidence There is a growing body of evidence that supports the use of an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that patients who received care from an interdisciplinary team had better outcomes than those who received care from a single provider. Another study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that interdisciplinary teams were more effective at preventing hospital readmissions than single providers. Conclusion The issue of communication between different healthcare professionals is a significant one, and can have a negative impact on patient care. An interdisciplinary approach to healthcare can help to address this issue, and there is a growing body of evidence that supports its use. Recommendations Based on the findings of this report, I recommend that the following steps be taken to improve communication between different healthcare professionals:
  • Create a team of professionals from different disciplines who are responsible for the care of a particular patient.
  • Hold regular meetings between the members of the team to discuss the patient's care.
  • Develop a shared plan of care for the patient.
  • Communicate with each other regularly about the patient's progress.
I believe that these steps will help to improve communication between different healthcare professionals, and will lead to better outcomes for patients.

Sample Answer

  The Issue The issue that was identified in the interview is the lack of communication between different healthcare professionals. This can lead to problems with patient care, as different professionals may not be aware of each other's plans or treatment decisions. For example, a patient may be prescribed a medication by their doctor, but the pharmacist may not be aware of the patient's other medications, which could lead to a drug interaction.