Interventions fostering interdisciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration in health and social care; an integrative literature review

Background: Improving interdisciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration is increasingly regarded as maintaining and improving the quality of care. However, health and social care have been an area of organizational and disciplinary differentiation and fragmentation. Though interventions to increase the effectiveness of collaboration and barriers to collaboration have been the subject of research, there has been a lack of an overview of the aims, characteristics, and impacts of these interventions. A deeper understanding helps to determine future research focus. Aim: The aim of this integrative review is to give an overview of aims, characteristics, and impacts of interventions fostering interdisciplinary or inter-organizational collaboration in health and social care. Method: The databases CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Worldcat were systematically searched using the terms: interventions, interdisciplinary, inter-organizational, and collaboration in health care. Snowballing and a cross reference check complemented the search strategy. A total of 367 unique records were found. Structuring and screening the literature for eligibility was conducted through the use of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework (Moher et al., 2009) and using online review software. The review of the literature followed the guidelines for integrative review methodological rigour and data relevance using the online systematic review software Covidence (Whittemore & Knafl, 2005). Covidence led to the inclusion of 28 studies. Findings and conclusion: Integrative synthesis shows that aims fostering interdisciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration are improving communication, teamwork, professional roles, conceptual underpinning, and the coordination of care. The main characteristics of the interventions are digital resources, simulation or role playing, learning conversations, collective activity, and implementing models or pathways. Impacts described include increased knowledge, improved collaboration, improved communication, enhanced role clarity, and developments around the systemic level of collaboration. Results suggest that interventions with aims and impacts on interpersonal normative aspects of collaboration beyond the focus on effectiveness and efficiency, are under-represented in the literature. To better understand how to improve these aspects of collaboration, it is expedient to research the value and characteristics of interventions beyond familiar forms, aims, and means.