Strengthening teamwork capability in allied health: implementation of a team development program in a metropolitan health service.

Objective Collaborative practice is critical to optimising patient outcomes in contemporary healthcare settings. Evidence suggests interprofessional learning is an effective way to develop teamwork capabilities, yet these skills are traditionally developed in professional silos, or not at all. This study evaluated the implementation of a team development program, the Team Management Systems (TMS) program, for allied health staff within a large metropolitan health service. Methods A mixed-methods audit-quality improvement study was conducted, using Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model to structure evaluation of the program. Semistructured questionnaire and workforce survey data were retrieved immediately, 6 months and 1-2 years after training and applied to each level of the model (Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, Results). Results In all, 886 staff participated in the TMS program from 2014 to 2018. High satisfaction with the program was observed. Knowledge of what constitutes effective teamwork improved significantly (P=0.008) in TMS participants compared with a matched untrained cohort. Participants reported positive behaviour change and continued engagement with TMS principles 6 months after training. Perceived impact of the program on patient and/or organisational outcomes was evident, although less compelling than the changes to knowledge and behaviour. Conclusions The TMS program yielded positive effects on staff satisfaction, knowledge, team dynamics and team behaviours. These findings demonstrate the significant value of such initiatives to enhance the capability and effectiveness of interdisciplinary healthcare teams. What is known about the topic? Complex conditions, increasing comorbidities, specialisation and scarcity of resources mean healthcare workers need to work effectively in teams to achieve quality, safe, person centred patient care. There is some evidence of the effect of teamwork initiatives on knowledge or behaviour in specific clinical specialities, single services or single professions, but limited research is available regarding the effects of teamwork programs across multiple professions, including allied health professions, and on patient and organisational outcomes. What does this paper add? This paper describes the effect of a large-scale teamwork program implemented across multiple professions, including enablers and barriers. It presents outcomes at all four levels of Kirkpatrick's evaluation model, including the less studied behaviour and results levels. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper supports health service leaders to consider developing and implementing interprofessional teamwork programs to foster essential teamwork capabilities. Learning together about teamwork, across professional silos, will lead to collaborative, patient-centred care, which leads to safe, quality patient outcomes.

Evaluating new roles for the support workforce in community rehabilitation settings in Queensland.

INTRODUCTION: Alternative workforce models need to be explored to adequately meet the future health care needs of the Australian population. A new role for the support workforce, to optimise their contribution in community rehabilitation in Queensland--the advanced community rehabilitation assistant (ACRA)--was developed on the basis of service activity mapping and gap analysis. OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of a trial of the new ACRA role at six pilot sites in Queensland. PARTICIPANTS: ACRAs, health professionals and rehabilitation clients. METHODS: Transcripts of semistructured telephone interviews conducted with ACRAs, health professionals and rehabilitation clients were thematically analysed. The nature of the role as well as perceived strengths and weaknesses were explored. RESULTS: The presence of an ACRA was generally seen to diversify and expand local service capacity. The major challenge was the initial intensity of instruction that was required from supervising health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: ACRAs have potential to be valuable resources in the provision of community rehabilitation services. The challenge of meeting each new ACRA's preliminary training needs requires further consideration. A critical mass of people trained to this role may be required to ensure sustainability. Further trial and evaluation is needed to investigate the role more thoroughly over time and in different settings.

Legal aspects of laboratory medicine and pathology for residents and fellows: a curriculum for pathology training programs.

CONTEXT: Preparing residents and fellows to manage laboratories and pathology practices increasingly requires awareness of the law and a framework within which to manage legal risk in dealing with compliance, malpractice, and human resources issues. OBJECTIVES: To describe a curriculum for pathology and laboratory medicine residents and fellows that highlights activities most likely to result in adverse legal outcomes and to help trainees understand when the services of an attorney may be required. DESIGN: The 3-hour course evolved as part of a comprehensive leadership and management curriculum designed to help meet systems-based practice and professionalism requirements. Didactic lectures and interactive case scenarios were presented, and participants then evaluated the course content and speakers on a 5-point scale (5 = high). Short-term knowledge accumulation was assessed by comparison of performance on the laboratory administration section of the Resident In-Service Examination between junior residents who had not taken the course and senior residents who did take the course. RESULTS: The course was evaluated by 72 trainees during a 5-year period (2004-2008); the mean overall rating was 4.6 (range, 3.5-5.0). Senior residents (n = 37) had a mean (SD) score on the Resident In-Service Examination laboratory administration section of 521 (67) for 2004 through 2008. Junior residents (n = 51), who had not yet completed the course, scored 470 (70) (P < .001) for the same period. CONCLUSIONS: This curriculum met the needs of professionals entering careers in laboratory medicine and pathology and can be modified for other pathology and laboratory medicine training programs.

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma: a review of 17 cases with emphasis on clinical and pathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To identify correlations between clinical presentation, specific histopathologic findings, and subsequent disease course in patients with necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG). DESIGN: Retrospective review of medical records and histopathologic examination of fixed tissue samples. SETTING: Tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS: Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of NXG established between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2007. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Description and distribution of clinical lesions, presence of monoclonal gammopathy, multiple myeloma, and correlation with microscopic patterns of skin lesions. RESULTS: Eleven patients (65%) showed involvement of the periorbital area, and the trunk was affected in 8 patients (47%). Twelve patients (71%) had a monoclonal gammopathy; of these, 3 (18%) had multiple myeloma. Histopathologic examination of 12 patients showed findings consistent with NXG, including a bandlike pattern of necrobiotic granulomatous inflammation, atypical giant cells, cholesterol clefts, and plasma cells. No correlations were identified between clinical presentation and specific histopathologic findings. Although most patients had a serum monoclonal gammopathy, staining with antibodies to CD3, CD20, kappa light chains, and lambda light chains showed polytypic lymphocytes and plasma cells in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The association between NXG and paraproteinemia is well documented and corroborated by this study. However, the skin lesions in NXG represent reactive inflammation and are not associated with the presence of monoclonal plasma cells or multiple myeloma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma metastatic to skin: diagnostic utility of antihuman hepatocyte antibody in combination with albumin in situ hybridization.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous metastases from hepatic neoplasms are rare. Histologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are often poorly differentiated, hindering accurate diagnosis on routine examination by hematoxylin-eosin stain. Antihuman hepatocyte antibody is highly sensitive for HCC but can be strongly expressed in other adenocarcinomas. Albumin in situ hybridization (ISH) is highly specific and sensitive for HCC; in combination with antihuman hepatocyte antibody, it has a diagnostic sensitivity approaching 100%. To our knowledge, the combination of antihuman hepatocyte antibody and albumin ISH has not previously been examined in the context of cutaneous HCC. METHODS: We present histologic findings and results of ancillary studies for three patients with metastatic HCC. These patients had a poorly differentiated cytokeratin-positive cutaneous neoplasm. All three cases were evaluated with antihuman hepatocyte antibody and albumin ISH. RESULTS: Neoplastic cells were strongly positive for antihuman hepatocyte antibody, and ISH detected albumin messenger RNA in nearly 100% of the neoplastic cells in all three cases. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of antihuman hepatocyte antibody and albumin ISH is highly sensitive and specific for HCC metastatic to skin and is useful in the differential diagnosis of a poorly differentiated cytokeratin-positive neoplasm.