Attitudes and Behavior towards Interprofessional Collaboration among Healthcare Professionals in a Large Academic Medical Center.

The increasing rates of comorbidities among patients and the complexity of care have warranted interprofessional collaboration (IPC) as an important component of the healthcare structure. An initial step towards assessing the effectiveness of collaboration requires the exploration of the attitudes and experience of healthcare professionals towards IPC. This online survey aimed to examine the attitudes of healthcare professionals working in a large public academic medical center toward IPC in patient care and the healthcare team, and their behavior and experience regarding IPC. The rankings, according to the perceived importance among the respondents, of the four Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies (values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, teams/teamwork) were assessed. There were strong but varying levels of consensus among healthcare professionals (N = 551) that IPC facilitates efficient patient care, improves patient problem-solving ability, and increases better clinical outcomes for patients. They acknowledged that IPC promotes mutual respect within the healthcare team and providers' ability to make optimal patient care decisions. However, overall more than 35% of the respondents did not attend multidisciplinary education sessions (grand rounds, seminars, etc.), and about 23% did not participate in bedside patient care rounds. Interprofessional communication was ranked as the most important IPEC core competence. Although the attitude towards IPC among healthcare professionals is strongly positive, many healthcare professionals face challenges in participating in IPC. Institutional policies that facilitate interprofessional learning and interactions for this group of healthcare professionals should be formulated. Online distance learning and interactions, and simulation-enhanced interprofessional education, are options for addressing this barrier. Hospital administrators should facilitate conducive work environments that promote IPC, based on IPEC core competencies, and promote programs that address the challenges of IPC.

IW-3718 Reduces Heartburn Severity in Patients With Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) reduces quality of life and creates significant financial burden on the health care system. Approximately 30% of patients with GERD who receive label-dose proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) still have symptoms. We performed a trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IW-3718, a bile acid sequestrant, as an adjunct to PPI therapy. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, from March 2016 through April 2017, of 280 patients with confirmed GERD. The patients, stratified by esophagitis status, were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to groups given placebo or IW-3718 (500, 1000, or 1500 mg) twice daily, with ongoing label-dose PPI. The primary endpoint was percent change from baseline to week 8 in weekly heartburn severity score. We also analyzed percent change from baseline to week 8 in weekly regurgitation frequency score. RESULTS: Mean changes from baseline to week 8 in weekly heartburn severity scores were reductions of 46.0% in the placebo group, 49.0% in the 500 mg group, 55.1% in the 1000 mg group, and 58.0% in the 1500 mg IW-3718 group (dose-response P = .02). The treatment difference was 11.9% between the 1500 mg IW-3718 and placebo groups (P = .04, analysis of covariance). The mean change in weekly regurgitation frequency score from baseline to week 8 in the 1500 mg IW-3718 vs placebo groups was a reduction of 17.5% (95% confidence interval, reductions of 31.4% to 3.6%). The most common adverse event was constipation (in 8.1% of patients receiving IW-3718 and 7.1% of patients receiving placebo). There were no drug-related serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized trial of patients with refractory GERD, adding 1500 mg IW-3718 to label-dose PPIs significantly reduced heartburn symptoms compared with adding placebo. Regurgitation symptoms also decreased. IW-3718 was well tolerated. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT02637557).

Interprofessional Education and Collaboration in Healthcare: An Exploratory Study of the Perspectives of Medical Students in the United States.

Qualified and competent healthcare professionals working in a collaborative team environment is a prerequisite for high quality patient care. In order to be successful in the healthcare working environment, medical students need to be exposed to interprofessional learning early in their education. A single stage online survey was administered to medical students to evaluate their attitudes and perceptions of interprofessional education (IPE) and whether prior exposure to IPE increased their appreciation for interprofessional collaboration. The results suggest that irrespective of prior exposure to IPE, medical students appreciated the importance of interprofessional education and collaboration. Medical students showed a strong interest in attending interprofessional courses in other disciplines. Time constraints, scheduling conflicts, and communication emerged as barriers to IPE. Medical students embraced IPE and welcomed the opportunity to learn with other disciplines. Clinical case studies and simulations were identified as potential methods to integrate with other healthcare disciplines. The positive attitude and perceptions of the medical students toward interprofessional education and collaboration warrants the inclusion of related courses in medical curricula, as this may further increase students' potentials in becoming effective healthcare providers.