Thread by @herchd

Impact of Social Identity on Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration and Teamwork
Daniel Herchline MD, MSEd, Rebecca Tenney-Soeiro, MD, MSEd, Jay J. Mehta, MD, MSEd
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
#MCGConf2021PIF

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has been proposed as a means to strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes. Recently, calls have increased for grounding IPC interventions in theory in order to strengthen their impact. #MCGConf2021PIF

Social Identity Theory (SIT) has become a well-established framework for conceptualizing group dynamics over the past 4 decades, particularly in discussions surrounding intergroup relations and social conflict. #MCGConf2021PIF

What is SIT? Essentially, we are all comprised of a number of different social groups which constitute our composite identity. We make decisions and act based on our affiliation with these groups as well as who we perceive is part of the “in-group” or “out-group.” #MCGConf2021PIF

We used SIT as a conceptual framework to understand how social identity impacts perceptions of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork within healthcare settings. Specifically, we looked at this phenomenon in pediatric hospitalists. #MCGConf2021PIF

We combined dual qualitative methods including free-listing and semi-structured interviews. In total, we interviewed 13 hospitalists, ensuring a diverse sampling representative of our division. #MCGConf2021PIF

The prominent themes identified in our data analysis include: identity as a spectrum ranging from team-centered to profession-centered, familiarity as a driver of team formation, culture as a barrier to and facilitator for team formation... #MCGConf2021PIF

Co-creation of shared vision and creation of shared mental models as a way to strengthen sense of team, and the concept of "flexible leadership" as a trait of strong collaborative teams.

What immediate implications does this have for our clinical practice? We can find ways to be more deliberate in promoting “team” identities among pediatric hospitalists through consideration of workflows, leadership structures, and team/unit culture. #MCGConf2021PIF

To build on this work, we hope to expand this application of SIT to include all healthcare providers and hope to look retrospectively to gain more insight into how identities are formed to identify how we might help shape team identities in early trainees. #MCGConf2021PIF

Ultimately, our goal lies in improving patient-centered outcomes and employee-based metrics. We believe that SIT can be used as a lens for examining interprofessional collaboration and offers a means for designing solid interventions to improve patient care. #MCGConf2021PIF

Thank you for the opportunity to join us today and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions! @herchd @tenneysoeiro @jaymehtamd #MCGConf2021PIF