Interprofessional Communication:Challenges and Opportunities

Walter Eppich, MD, MEdAssociate Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Education

Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Chicago/USA

Why this matters

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Learning through talk

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Learningconversations

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

When communication breaks down,learning breaks down

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

The problem

1. Competent individuals come together to form incompetent teams

2. Individuals who perform competently in one team may not in another team.

3. One incompetent member functionally impairs some teams, but not others.

Lingard 2012Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Collective (in)competence

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Collective (in)competence

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The foundation:Supportive workplace culture

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Nicholas_T on FlickrCorey Leopold on Flickr

How is your workplace culture?

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Psychological safety

• A belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes

• Interpersonal risk-taking is possible

Edmondson 1999, 2008, 2012Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

PsychologicalSafetyChallenge &

Responsibility

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Safety is not a word; safety is a feeling

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Safety is not a word; safety is a feeling

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

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Clin Ped Emerg Med 2015

Speaking up

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Disruptivebehavior

Witnessingrudeness

“Pimping”

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Implications for clinical practice

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

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TEAMWalter Eppich, MD, MEd

• Understand reciprocal interdependence• Know they don’t have every answer• Empower team members to generate ideas,

find answers, solve problems• Invite and welcome input• Show fallibility

Edmondson 2012

Effective leaders

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Steering the talk

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Specific communication aids

C-U-S Words•I am Concerned!

•I am Uncomfortable!

•This is a Safety issue!

S-B-A-R•Situation

•Background

•Assessment

•Recommendation

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Checklists

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Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Culture MattersWalter Eppich, MD, MEd

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd

Take-aways

• Organizations set the tone for teamwork• Psychological safety matters• We need collective competence• Leaders and workplace culture support

the talk of safety and learning

Walter Eppich, MD, MEd