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Grassroots inter-professional networks: the case of organizing care for older cancer patients

Fatou Farima Bagayogo (École Nationale d’administration publique, Montréal, Canada )
Annick Lepage (École Nationale d’administration publique, Montréal, Canada )
Jean-Louis Denis (École Nationale d’administration publique, Montréal, Canada )
Lise Lamothe (Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada)
Liette Lapointe (Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University, Montréal, Canada)
Isabelle Vedel (Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada)

Journal of Health Organization and Management

ISSN: 1477-7266

Article publication date: 19 September 2016

541

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper of inter-professional networks is to analyze the evolution of relationships between professional groups enacting new forms of collaboration to address clinical imperatives.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a case study based on semi-structured interviews with physicians and nurses, document analysis and informal discussions.

Findings

This study documents how two inter-professional networks were developed through professional agency. The findings show that the means by which networks are developed influence the form of collaboration therein. One of the networks developed from day-to-day, immediately relevant, exchange, for patient care. The other one developed from more formal and infrequent research and training exchanges that were seen as less decisive in facilitating patient care. The latter resulted in a loosely knit network based on a small number of ad hoc referrals while the other resulted in a tightly knit network based on frequent referrals and advice seeking.

Practical implications

Developing inter-professional networks likely require a sustained phase of interpersonal contacts characterized by persuasion, knowledge sharing, skill demonstration and trust building from less powerful professional groups to obtain buy-in from more powerful professional groups. The nature of the collaboration in any resulting network depends largely on the nature of these initial contacts.

Originality/value

The literature on inter-professional healthcare networks focusses on mandated networks such as NHS managed care networks. There is a lack of research on inter-professional networks that emerged from the bottom up at the initiative of healthcare professionals in response to clinical imperatives. This study looks at some forms of collaboration that these “grass-root” initiatives engender and how they are consolidated.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Fond de Recherche Quebec – Santé. The latter did not take any part in the study.

Citation

Bagayogo, F.F., Lepage, A., Denis, J.-L., Lamothe, L., Lapointe, L. and Vedel, I. (2016), "Grassroots inter-professional networks: the case of organizing care for older cancer patients", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 971-984. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-01-2016-0013

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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