Relational Coordination at the Primary–Secondary Care Interface: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Survey in the South Tyrolean Healthcare System

Abstract

Understanding the dynamics of teamwork and communication among healthcare professionals is crucial in the face of evolving healthcare challenges. This study assessed relational coordination among healthcare professionals in the South Tyrolean healthcare system in Italy, focusing on communication and teamwork dynamics in a cross-sectional survey. Using the validated Relational Coordination Survey (RCS) instrument and 525 completed online responses, the questionnaire aimed to understand the implications of different levels of relational coordination ratings by general practitioners, hospital physicians, nurses, and administrative personnel (response rate 26%). The demographics of the participants revealed a predominance of female professionals (64%), with an average age of 50 and 18 years of service. The resulting RCS scores varied significantly across professional groups, with nurses reporting the highest within-group scores, indicating moderate coordination, and administrators reporting the lowest scores, reflecting areas of weak coordination. Between-group relational coordination was generally perceived as weak across professional groups, with the least weakness observed between general practitioners and nurses. German or Italian language and health district affiliation emerged as significant factors influencing relational coordination ratings, highlighting the need for differentiated understanding and strategies in multilingual and diverse regional settings. Assessments of interdisciplinary feedback and referral practices highlight the variation in teamwork and communication weaknesses and underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve relational coordination. This study provides insights into the complexity of relational dynamics in health care settings. This suggests that improving relational coordination through tailored strategies could significantly improve team effectiveness, quality of patient care, and overall system efficiency.

The Role of Homogeneous Waiting Group Criteria in Patient Referrals: Views of General Practitioners and Specialists in South Tyrol, Italy

“…Expanding on the implications of observed communication gaps in the present study, the findings are consistent with the documented weak relational coordination between GPs and HPs [17]. This weak coordination, characterized by low frequency and timeliness of communication, critically undermines the effective implementation of the HWG criteria and directly impacts referral efficiency and overall healthcare delivery.…”

“…This survey on an HWG was conducted as part of a broader study on relational coordination within South Tyrol's healthcare system. While relational coordination findings are detailed in a separate publication [17], this study focused exclusively on the exploration and analysis of an HWG. This distinction allows for a concentrated examination of HWG practices outside relational dynamics.…”

Impact of Relational Coordination on Job Satisfaction and Willingness to Stay: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Healthcare Professionals in South Tyrol, Italy

“…German-speaking districts showed stronger RC, probably due to greater linguistic homogeneity, which facilitates more effective communication within healthcare teams. The study showed a clear effect of language on between-group RC, suggesting that shared linguistic backgrounds strengthen RC, highlighting the importance of cultural and linguistic congruence in improving team dynamics and healthcare delivery [6].…”

“…Building on the recently presented research [6], this study extends the exploration of RC among healthcare professionals within the SABES-ASAA. The first study assessed the status of RC among physicians, nurses, and administrators, laying the groundwork for understanding the broader impact of RC in diverse multilingual healthcare environments.…”

“…Linguistic differences between predominantly Italian and predominantly Germanspeaking districts significantly influence RC [6]. German-speaking districts showed stronger RC, probably due to greater linguistic homogeneity, which facilitates more effective communication within healthcare teams.…”