COVID-19 and team-based healthcare: The essentiality of theory-driven research

Abstract

There is evidence to suggest enhanced teamness, heightened interprofessional values and practices, and even the potential for dilution of occupational status hierarchies within healthcare practice and delivery during the time of COVID-19. It is essential that we study these emergent changes using the lens of multilevel theory to better understand these recent developments and their current and future implications for interprofessional practice, education, and policy. Within this article, we first offer a brief overview of secondary data to highlight these COVID-19-specific shifts to provide context and perspective. We then outline prominent micro, meso, and macro-level theories, and propose accompanying rudimentary hypotheses and related general research questions to help guide, and ideally accelerate IPE and IPCP research related to this crisis. Our goal is to not only spotlight key areas for future research during and post COVID-19 but also provide a "starter kit" to encourage more theory-driven research (and theoryexpansion) in the IPE and IPCP fields.

Exploration of The Impact of The COVID-19 Pandemic on The Mental Health of Home Health Care Workers in Japan: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey

“…In addition, the HADS-depression scores of nurses, medical social workers, medical o ce staff, and other occupations was signi cantly higher than those of doctors. These results implied that non-physicians are more likely to be fearful and depressed during the (27). Since our results suggest that it is important for an organization to regularly promote teamwork, not only to improve the quality of care for patients but also to maintain and improve the mental health of their staff, our study could contribute to theory-based interprofessional working in the home care setting in the COVID-19 era.…”

Experiences of Parents of Preterm Children Hospitalized Regarding Restrictions to Interact with Their Children Imposed Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…During the pandemic, personal interaction was limited and telephone information, videos, and virtual resources, in spite of their usefulness within this context, do not substitute the personal interaction. Although efforts in this sense were of great importance and the health staff created possible communication channels amongst the circumstances, it is currently necessary to integrate theory and evidence( 16 , 17 ) to guarantee involvement by the family, humanized care, and successful transition to the home amid the current possibilities.…”

Upskilling health and care workers with augmented and virtual reality: protocol for a realist review to develop an evidence-informed programme theory

“…Changes included staff deployment to wards (eg, COVID-19 wards) outside of their normal experience and of retired and newly qualified staff, remote provision of healthcare using telehealth (phones, video, patient portals), distancing/ minimal contact care, stringent use of personal protective equipment and strengthened interprofessional collaboration. [12][13][14][15] These challenges required prompt upskilling, especially in using technologies and in infection prevention and control behaviours to minimise the spread of COVID-19.…”