Theme 3: Crossing Interprofessional, Intercultural, and Interpersonal Boundaries in Knowledge Building Shared Resources: Collaboration and New Technologies

What patients want: How to encourage collective cognitive responsibility for patient centred care among chronically ill persons? Anne Matheson, Hamilton Health Sciences, ON, Canada

Poster Abstract This presentation explores how to design patient-centred care programs that foster "collective cognitive responsibility" (Scardamalia, 2002) for chronically ill out-patients. As well, design strategies to cross interprofessional and interpersonal boundaries when providing patient centred care programs (Theme 3) will be presented. Ideally, patient centred care incorporates the patient's perspective in the health care decision making process (Epstein, 2000). Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is at the beginning stages of developing a patient centred care philosophy that will underpin a new model of interprofessional practice to service its over 2,000,000 in-patients and out-patients in the south-western Ontario region. Preliminary survey and interview data from HHS in-patients reveals positive indicators of patient centred care include "open communication with physicians and health care team, courteous interactions with staff, and timely results of tests". Negative indicators of patient centred care include patients' feelings of abandonment on discharge from hospital and lack of knowledge of illness to manage well at home. The real idea and authentic problem (Scardamalia, 2002) of interest this presentation considers then is how to provide programs for out-patients with chronic illness. Where does the hospital's accountability end and the patient's accountability begin? How can we maximize community resources to provide effective patient centred care to out-patients in spite of increasing budget and staff shortages? How might a knowledge building community framework encourage collective responsibility for caring for patients with chronic illness in the community? These are few of the questions considered in this presentation. Finally, this presentation will elaborate a six-week collaborative, interactive educational/self-management program for out-patients with chronic illness that builds on collective knowledge in an atmosphere of sharing and mutual respect. Goals of the program: • foster mutually respectful patient-professional partnerships • empower patients through education and support • equip patients with the tools to problem-solve and manage their daily lives Benefits of the program: • more efficient healthcare delivery • fewer physician visits and hospitalizations • lower health care costs • student learners gain knowledge of chronic diseases, their impact on patients and patient coping mechanisms • the practitioners of tomorrow will learn the concept of partnership with patients in healthcare management. Epstein, R. M. (2000). The science of patient-centered care. The journal of family practice, 49(9), 805-807. Scardamalia, M. (2002). Collective cognitive responsibility for the advancement of knowledge. In B. Smigh (Ed.), Liberal Education in a Knowledge Society (pp. 76-98). Chicago: Open Court.