An ethnographic study comparing approaches to inter-professional knowledge sharing and learning in discharge planning and care transitions

Waring, Justin; Bishop, Simon; Marshall, Fiona; Taylor, Natasha; Vickers, Robert

Abstract

An ethnographic study comparing approaches to inter-professional knowledge sharing and learning in discharge planning and care transitions Abstract Purpose: This paper investigates how three communication interventions commonly used during discharge planning and care transitions enable inter-professional knowledge sharing and learning as a foundation for more integrated working. These interventions include: information communication systems, dedicated discharge planning roles, and group-based planning activities. Design: A two-year ethnographic study carried out across two regional health and care systems in the English National Health Service, focusing on the discharge of stroke and hip fracture patients. Data collection involved in-depth observations and 213 semi-structured interviews. Findings: Information systems (e.g. e-records) represent a relatively stable conduit for the routine and standardised forms of syntactic information exchange that can 'bridge' time-space knowledge boundaries. Specialist discharge roles (e.g. discharge coordinators) support personalised and dynamic forms of 'semantic' knowledge sharing that can 'broker' epistemic and cultural boundaries. Group-based activities (e.g. team meetings) provide a basis for more direct 'pragmatic' knowledge translation that can support inter-professional 'bonding' at the cultural and organisational level, but where inclusion factors complicate exchange.

Citation

Waring, J., Bishop, S., Marshall, F., Taylor, N., & Vickers, R. (2019). An ethnographic study comparing approaches to inter-professional knowledge sharing and learning in discharge planning and care transitions. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 33(6), 677-694. https://doi.org/10.1108/jhom-10-2018-0302

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 3, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Sep 16, 2019
• Publication Date: Sep 5, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jun 12, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 13, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Health Organization and Management
• Print ISSN: 1477-7266
• Electronic ISSN: 1758-7247
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 677-694
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/jhom-10-2018-0302
• Keywords: Health Policy
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2179871
• Publisher URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JHOM-10-2018-0302/full/html