Modeling collaborative practice: A university-hospital partnership

An ongoing partnership between a regional/community hospital and a comprehensive four-year university, the JMU-RMH Collaborative, is a model approach to addressing quality care goals and gaps in services in the hospital and the community. Factors associated with successful collaboration and core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice are discussed. The hospital and university are situated in a city surrounded by rural communities that are challenged by access to health and human services. The Collaborative is designed to foster and support innovative and collaborative initiatives producing beneficial outcomes for both partners and contributing to a healthy community. Leadership, intentionally team-based, is provided by eight individuals from the two organizations, including members from upper administration. Participation in collaborative projects is open to any employee of both organizations. Since its inception in 2007, over 100 collaborative initiatives have been launched. These initiatives address both acute care and community priorities, and enhance quality care goals in acute care and the community. Examples include a practice model integrating behavioral health and primary care, an interprofessional case review involving advance practice nurses and a psychologist to support community health workers in working with stressed first-time parents, a regional voice and swallowing clinic, an “Emergency Department Scribe Program” in which select pre-professional health students work as scribes for emergency department physicians, a collaborative project at the hospital’s cancer center involving the university’s School of Music, and a large collaborative community grant to support vulnerable families of young children through home visiting. Presenters describe how initiatives are conceived and implemented in the absence of designated funding. Since 2007, both the hospital and the university have had significant structural and organizational changes. Resilience and flexibility in collaborative functioning are discussed. Results of an evaluation of collaborative functioning and follow up plans are described. Evaluation resources are provided for participants.