Care Café for healthcare professionals─blending communities

ABSTRACT

<b>Aim</b> Many methods aiming to achieve face-to-face, multi-discipline healthcare cooperation have been attempted in Japan in order to optimize the community care system. There are however, many obstacles to the commencement or successful coordination of meetings, seminars, and workshops for health care professionals, particularly longterm cooperation and financial constraints. We have developed methods to solve these problems. <b>Methods</b> We invented a new method, called Care Café based on the philosophical and sociological ideals utilized by the World Café. Care Café is held on a regular basis to facilitate communication and cooperation between healthcare professionals with the aim of finding solutions to mutual problems. <b>Results</b> Care Café has been held on a monthly basis in Asahikawa, where it started. There have been 9 Care Café events in Asahikawa so far, with the number of healthcare professionals in attendance totaling approximately 700. The concept of Care Café is earning greater recognition in Japan, and Care Café events have now been held in 16 different Japanese cities, for an aggregate total of 29 events nationwide. We have received Care Café reports from participating cities detailing successful multi-discipline healthcare cooperation in solving medical issues. <b>Conclusions</b> Care Café started in Asahikawa. It has been spreading among healthcare professionals nationwide. We expect Care Café to establish and develop new face-toface, multi-discipline healthcare cooperation.