Original Article Published on 26 Jun, 2021

Healthcare Professionals’ Experiences on Interdisciplinary Collaboration in a Medical Department of a Malaysian General Hospital

Healthcare Collaboration
Vol. 16 No. 1 : 2021 (246-255)

Ang WC Ang WC
Abd Rahim SN Abd Rahim SN
Abd Rahman NF Abd Rahman NF
Muhamad Shukri N Muhamad Shukri N
Rokimi WR Rokimi WR
Ng SC Ng SC

Abstract
Healthcare professionals (HCPs) in all healthcare facilities including public hospitals in Malaysia need to cooperate to meet the diverse healthcare demands. To date, there has yet detailed research on this collaboration in Malaysia. This study aimed to explore interdisciplinary collaboration in the Medical Department (wards and clinics) of a state hospital. Four focus group discussions (FGDs) were held. A medical specialist, medical officer, nurse manager/charge nurse, staff nurse, senior and junior clinical pharmacists were all present at each FGD. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants (nomination by heads of department). FGDs were performed in English, but responses in Malay were accepted and translated into English. All FGDs were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically. In the theme of role clarity, most participants opined that the doctors led in patient management, while the nurses were in charge of monitoring, ambulating and drug administration. However, some participants were unfamiliar with the role of pharmacists. The majority believed that effective collaboration did exist, but insufficient. Weak communication skills, lack of communication, personnel and time were obstacles to effective collaboration. Regular discussions between different disciplines can encourage interprofessional collaboration. Despite doctors acknowledging pharmacists' Medication Therapy Adherence Clinic (MTAC) services, and nurses' human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counselling and diabetic education services, some nurses and pharmacists were unaware of each other's services. To avoid conflicting tasks and human resource wastage, each HCP's services should be actively promoted among other HCPs.
Keywords : focus groups, health personnel, intersectoral collaboration, Qualitative research,
Abstrak
Anggota profesional kesihatan (HCP) di semua fasiliti kesihatan termasuk hospital-hospital awam di Malaysia perlu bekerjasama untuk memenuhi pelbagai keperluan penjagaan kesihatan. Setakat ini, masih belum ada kajian terperinci berkaitan kolaborasi sebegini di Malaysia. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk meneroka kolaborasi antara disiplin di Jabatan Perubatan (wad dan klinik) di sebuah hospital negeri. Empat perbincangan kumpulan berfokus (FGD) telah diadakan. Seorang pakar perubatan, pegawai perubatan, penyelia/ketua jururawat, jururawat terlatih, pegawai farmasi klinikal kanan dan pegawai farmasi muda telah menghadiri setiap FGD. Persampelan bertujuan digunakan untuk merekrut peserta (pencalonan oleh ketua jabatan). FGD dilaksanakan dalam Bahasa Inggeris, tetapi maklum balas  dalam Bahasa Melayu masih diterima dan diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Semua audio FGD dirakam, ditranskrip dan dianalisis secara tematik. Dalam tema kejelasan peranan, kebanyakan peserta berpendapat bahawa doktor mengetuai pengurusan pesakit, sementara jururawat bertugas memantau dan membantu pergerakan pesakit serta pemberian ubat-ubatan. Namun, sebilangan peserta kurang maklum tentang peranan pegawai farmasi. Majoriti percaya bahawa kolaborasi yang berkesan wujud, tetapi tidak mencukupi. Kemahiran komunikasi yang lemah, kekangan berkomunikasi, kekurangan kakitangan dan masa adalah penghalang untuk kolaborasi berkesan. Perbincangan yang lebih kerap antara disiplin dapat memupuk kolaborasi. Meskipun doktor menyedari terdapatnya perkhidmatan klinik kepatuhan terapi ubat-ubatan (MTAC) oleh pegawai farmasi, perkhidmatan kaunseling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) dan pendidikan diabetes oleh jururawat, sebilangan jururawat dan pegawai farmasi tidak mengambil maklum perkhidmatan ditawarkan masing-masing. Untuk mengelakkan  pertindihan tugas dan pembaziran sumber manusia, promosi perkhidmatan oleh setiap disiplin perlu dipertingkatkan di kalangan HCP. 
Kata Kunci : anggota kesihatan, kerjasama antara sektor, kumpulan berfokus, Penyelidikan kualitatif,

Correspondance Address
Ang Wei Chern. Clinical Research Centre, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Hospital Tuanku Fauziah, 01000 Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia. Tel: +604-9738413 Email: wei.ang.1990@gmail.com


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