Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Essential for Improved Wound Care Outcomes and Wound Prevention in Home Care

Abstract

Health care clinicians are practicing in a changed health care environment across practice settings. Physician-nurse (MD-RN), collaboration is a core issue that continues to affect care quality and cost as well as patient and clinician satisfaction. Current economic, reimbursement, regulatory/accrediting, technology infusion, practice innovation, and population trends affecting health care are discussed in the context of the need for improved MD-RN collaboration in home care. A brief summary of the current maturation of MD-RN research is discussed. The urgent need for collaboration improvement in the home care practice setting is illuminated. The prism used for examination is the need for improved care management in the prevalent and often complex wound care populations. Current MD-RN collaboration barriers and improvement strategies being tested and implemented are discussed. Suggestions for practice changes to achieve improved interdisciplinary care management and needed support are made.