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A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Informatics and Big Data".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2025) | Viewed by 18079

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer

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Guest Editor

Interprofessional Collaboration, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: interprofessional teams; organizational behavior in healthcare; clinical leadership; telehealth/tel
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Interprofessional collaboration occurs when healthcare professionals from different backgrounds assemble to care for patients or train students to do so. With the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a disruption of many of these team-based approaches due to the implementation of virtual care or care having occurred in alternate settings. This Special Issue of Healthcare focuses on recent successes and/or failures in the implementation of patient-centered, interprofessional care; the effectiveness of the hybrid/virtual instruction of the healthcare workforce, the patient's satisfaction as a recipient of interprofessional care, and programmatic assessments or project plans for advancing the health of populations using novel combinations of health workers as part of an interdisciplinary team. We welcome and encourage research from interprofessional teams, including virtual care, digital innovations, e-Health, remote home monitoring, and/or provider combinations such as community health workers and licensed providers or community paramedicine programs.

Dr. Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer
Guest Editor

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Keywords

patient-centered
interprofessional care
virtual environments
training the healthcare workforce
virtual care
digital innovations
e-health
community paramedicine
lay community outreach

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Other

2 pages, 170 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

The Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Education for Interprofessional Teams in a Post-COVID Environment

by Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer

Healthcare 2022, 10(11), 2195; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10112195 - 2 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1447

Abstract

There have been a series of disruptions in the healthcare environment since 2019, starting with the global pandemic [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Other

16 pages, 511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Digital-Health Program Based on Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for the Management of Older People at Their Home: Final Recommendations from the MULTIPLAT_AGE Network Project

by Alberto Pilotto, Carolina Massone, Guido Iaccarino, Armando Genazzani, Carlo Trompetto, Gennarina Arabia, Wanda Morganti, Emanuele Seminerio, Maddalena Illario, Luigi Castello, Laura Mori, Loris Pignolo and Romina Custureri

Healthcare 2025, 13(10), 1105; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101105 - 9 May 2025

Viewed by 201

Abstract

Background: The MULTIPLAT_AGE is a network project which developed a digital platform based on the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) for collecting data and identifying personalized healthcare programs for older people at home. In this article, the final recommendations of the MULTIPLAT_AGE Working Group are reported. Methods: The MULTIPLAT_AGE project included five independent studies developed and carried out by five research centers according to two common principles previously shared by the researchers: (i) the multidimensional approach to older people through the CGA-based Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI); (ii) the use of a common web-based platform for collecting data to facilitate healthcare interventions of older people at their home according to the aging in place approach. At the end of the studies, a series of recommendations have been proposed by an expert panel including the principal investigators and discussed by all researchers involved in the MULTIPLAT_AGE project in formal meetings. After discussion, the recommendations have been approved with formal vote by all the researchers during the final meeting of the MULTIPLAT_AGE project. Results: The recommendations are addressed to healthcare providers, policy decision-makers, caregivers, and patients. In summary, the CGA-based interventions and technologies adopted in the MULTIPLAT_AGE project reduced length of hospital stay, improved multidimensional frailty, walking safety, physical and cognitive performances, and reduced fear of falling in older people across different clinical settings and suffering from different diseases. Conclusions: The final recommendations of the MULTIPLAT_AGE Working Group could be a useful instrument to facilitate the use of technologies along with CGA-based interventions to improve the management of older people at home. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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11 pages, 519 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Task-Evoked Pupillary Response to Predict Clinical Performance during a Simulation Training

by Elba Mauriz, Sandra Caloca-Amber and Ana M. Vázquez-Casares

Healthcare 2023, 11(4), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11040455 - 4 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2045

Abstract

Training in healthcare skills can be affected by trainees’ workload when completing a task. Due to cognitive processing demands being negatively correlated to clinical performance, assessing mental workload through objective measures is crucial. This study aimed to investigate task-evoked changes in pupil size as reliable markers of mental workload and clinical performance. A sample of 49 nursing students participated in a cardiac arrest simulation-based practice. Measurements of cognitive demands (NASA-Task Load Index), physiological parameters (blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate), and pupil responses (minimum, maximum, and difference diameters) throughout revealed statistically significant differences according to performance scores. The analysis of a multiple regression model produced a statistically significant pattern between pupil diameter differences and heart rate, systolic blood pressure, workload, and performance (R² = 0.280; F (6, 41) = 2.660; p < 0.028; d = 2.042). Findings suggest that pupil variations are promising markers to complement physiological metrics for predicting mental workload and clinical performance in medical practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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9 pages, 241 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Collaborative Interprofessional Health Science Student Led Realistic Mass Casualty Incident Simulation

by Deborah L. McCrea, Robert C. Coghlan, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer and Stanley Cron

Healthcare 2023, 11(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11010040 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2272

Abstract

In collaboration, a health science university and a fire department offered a mass casualty incident (MCI) simulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a cross-section of student health care providers to determine their working knowledge of an MCI. Students were given a pretest using the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire (EPIQ) and the Simple Triage and Rapid Transport (START) Quiz. The EPIQ instrument related to knowledge of triage, first aid, bio-agent detection, critical reporting, incident command, isolation/quarantine/decontamination, psychological issues, epidemiology, and communications. The START Quiz gave 10 scenarios. Didactic online content was given followed by the simulation a few weeks later. A posttest with the same instruments was given after the simulation. Participants were majority female (81.7%), aged between 25–34 (41.7%), and 61.7% (n = 74) had undergraduate or post-graduate degrees. The overall pretest mean was 2.92 and posttest mean was 3.64. The START Quiz found participants struggled to correctly assign triage levels. Students also experienced challenges correctly assigning patients to specific triage categories. Findings will assist educators to understand knowledge gaps, so revisions can be made to enhance learning in disaster management. Concentration in proper field triage is also a needed focus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

17 pages, 1800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advancing Access to Healthcare through Telehealth: A Brownsville Community Assessment

by Edna Ely-Ledesma and Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer

Healthcare 2022, 10(12), 2509; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122509 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3425

Abstract

(1) Background: This paper focuses on the development of a community assessment for telehealth using an interprofessional lens, which sits at the intersection of public health and urban planning using multistakeholder input. The paper analyzes the process of designing and implementing a telemedicine plan for the City of Brownsville and its surrounding metros. (2) Methods: We employed an interprofessional approach to CBPR which assumed all stakeholders as equal partners alongside the researchers to uncover the most relevant and useful knowledge to inform the development of telehealth community assessment. (3) Results: Key findings include that: physicians do not have the technology, financial means, or staff to provide a comprehensive system for telemedicine; and due to language and literacy barriers, many patients are not able to use a web-based system of telemedicine. We also found that all stakeholders believe that telehealth is a convenient tool that has the capacity to increase patient access and care. (4) Conclusions: Ultimately, the use of an interprofessional community-based participatory research (CBPR) design allowed our team to bring together local knowledge with that of trained experts to advance the research efforts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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9 pages, 496 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In-Person, Remote, or Hybrid Instruction? A Quality Improvement Assessment of a Six Week Interprofessional Education Pathway Program for Undergraduate Pre-Health Students

by Asia McCleary-Gaddy, Erica Tengyuan Yu and Robert D. Spears

Healthcare 2022, 10(12), 2399; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122399 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2120

Abstract

There is an emphasis on increasing the diversity of healthcare providers with the goal of reducing health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities. To support this initiative, pathway programs were designed to provide educational and career support to students belonging to racial/ethnic minorities or those who have challenges applying to or entering health professions. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathway programs have assumed various instructional delivery formats (e.g., face to face, virtual, hybrid) with little knowledge on the satisfaction of such methods. The current preliminary study examines whether in person, virtual, or hybrid learning is most effective for underrepresented pre-health undergraduate students who are engaged in a six-week interprofessional health pathway program. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected at one time point towards the end of the program when it was offered in person, virtually, and in hybrid format. Results revealed that the pre-health pathway program received highest satisfaction when presented in a hybrid format and least satisfaction when presented in virtual instruction. Qualitative data suggests that virtual instruction increases feelings of isolation and complicates educational information due to the limitations of virtual streaming. Implications for pathway design are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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9 pages, 595 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unintended Consequences of a Transition to Synchronous, Virtual Simulations for Interprofessional Learners

by Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer, Samuel E. Neher, Marylou Cardenas-Turanzas and Jennifer L. Swails

Healthcare 2022, 10(11), 2184; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10112184 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1796

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic shifted in-person environments to virtual environments. Little is known about the effectiveness of fully synchronous, virtual interprofessional education (IPE). This study aims to compare two IPE cases that occurred in-person pre-pandemic and virtual during-pandemic. Two cases are analyzed: a medical error care and a charity care case. Participants were students from various health science disciplines. Assessments were captured through The Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS). Effect sizes were calculated for the pre-and post-surveys and analyzed using Cohen’s d for independent samples. From the in-person collection period, a total of 479 students participated in the medical error simulation and 479 in the charity care simulation. During the virtual collection period, a total of 506 students participated in the medical error simulation and 507 participated in the charity care simulation. In the data for the virtual simulations, the medical error case study maintained a large effect size (0.81) while the charity care simulation had a lesser impact (0.64 effect size). Structural details of the patient cases may be a critical variable. Future research is needed to better understand how health science students can obtain more training to notice the subtle cues from patients assessed through telemedicine modalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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27 pages, 2389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Establishing the Competency Development and Talent Cultivation Strategies for Physician-Patient Shared Decision-Making Competency Based on the IAA-NRM Approach

by Shan-Fu Yu, Chih-Ming Hsu, Hui-Ting Wang, Tien-Tsai Cheng, Jia-Feng Chen, Chia-Li Lin and Hsing-Tse Yu

Healthcare 2022, 10(10), 1844; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10101844 - 23 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2669

Abstract

Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process involving patients and their healthcare workers negotiating to reach a shared decision about medical care. However, various physician stakeholders (attending physicians, medical residents, and doctors in post-graduate years) may have different viewpoints on SDM processes. The purpose of this study is to explore the core competence of physicians in performing SDM tasks and to investigate the significant competency development aspects/criteria by applying the literature research and expert interviews. We adopt the IAA (importance awareness analysis) technique for different stakeholders to evaluate the status of competency development aspects/criteria and to determine the NRM (network relation map) based on the DEMATEL (decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory) technique. The study combines the IAA and NRM methods and suggests using the IAA-NRM approach to evaluate the adoption strategies and common suitable paths for different levels of physicians. Our findings reveal that SDM perception and practice is the primary influencer of SDM competence development for all stakeholders. The current model can help hospital administrators and directors of medical education understand the diverse stakeholders’ perspectives on the core competence of SDM tasks and determine common development plans. It provides strategic directions for SDM competency development and talent cultivation programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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Other

Jump to: Editorial, Research

14 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessStudy Protocol

Digital Health Literacy and Physical Activity Programme for Improvement of Quality of Life in Caregivers of People with Dementia (CAREFIT): Study Protocol

by Patricia Ferrero-Sereno, Patricia Palomo-López, María Mendoza-Muñoz, Patricia Luna-Castaño, Raquel Caballero-De la Calle and Laura Muñoz-Bermejo

Healthcare 2025, 13(11), 1219; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111219 - 22 May 2025

Viewed by 225

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Dementia involves progressive cognitive and functional deterioration that leads to dependence and overload on family caregivers. This overload has a negative impact on the physical, mental, emotional, and occupational health of caregivers, leading to occupational imbalance and problems arising from an inadequate distribution of time devoted to caregiving. This project aims to evaluate the effects of the technology-based CAREFIT programme, structured around physical activity interventions, education, and psychoemotional and social support, on the health-related quality of life and emotional well-being of informal caregivers. Methods: The experimental group will develop the intervention programme, which will last 8 weeks and combine educational activities, physical activities, and psychoemotional and social support. Before beginning the intervention, the entire experimental group will receive a training session and educational materials on how to access and use the platform. The CAREFIT platform will consist of two educational sessions and two weekly physical sessions, combined with psychoemotional and social support activities that participants must complete. Initial, final, and follow-up evaluations will be conducted. The HRQoL and psychoemotional health (stress, anxiety, depression, and perceived social support and burden) of caregivers of people with dementia will be the main outcome measures. The effects of the intervention on the study variables will be assessed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Conclusions: The proposed protocol for the CAREFIT programme represents an innovative and multidisciplinary initiative that leverages a digital platform to promote the well-being of informal caregivers of people with dementia. This approach combines health literacy and strengthened psychoemotional and social support. Through this integration, the goal is to reduce the levels of burden, stress, anxiety, and depression among primary caregivers, while strengthening their self-care capabilities and social support networks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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11 pages, 1014 KiB

Open AccessViewpoint

Multimorbidity: Addressing the Elephant in the Clinic Room

by David Cosio

Healthcare 2025, 13(10), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101202 - 21 May 2025

Viewed by 195

Abstract

Multimorbidity is the conjoint presence of multiple conditions in patients, which is a public health problem. Multimorbidity is like the elephant in the clinic room because it remains the unaddressed challenge we face in healthcare. Clinical health psychology has a role to play in this undertaking because it recognizes the intersection and interface of concurrent mental and/or behavioral problems and physical diseases. The current article will define multimorbidity, describe current statistics, how it differs from comorbidity, how to use the biopsychosocial model, and ways in which clinical health psychologists can manage and prevent it in their clinics. A model of how to address multimorbidity will be shared using the role of a clinical health psychologist working in a multidisciplinary pain clinic in a hospital setting serving patients who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Interprofessional Care and Training)

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