The (stalled) progress of interprofessional collaboration: The role of gender

Ann V. Bell, Barret Michalec, Christine Arenson

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Researchers have demonstrated that team-based, collaborative care improves patient outcomes and fosters safer, more effective health care. Despite such positive findings, interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has been somewhat stunted in its adoption. Utilizing a socio-historical lens and employing expectation states theory, we explore potential reasons behind IPC's slow integration. More specifically, we argue that a primary mechanism hindering the achievement of the full promise of IPC stems not only from the rigid occupational status hierarchy nested within health care delivery, but also from the broader status differences between men and women-and how these societal-level disparities are exercised and perpetuated within health care delivery. For instance, we examine not only the historical differences in occupational status of the more "gendered" professions within health care delivery teams (e.g. medicine and nursing), but also the persistent under-representation of women in the physician workforce, especially in leadership positions. Doing so reveals how gender representation, or lack thereof, could potentially lead to ineffective, mismanaged and segmented interprofessional care. Implications and potential solutions are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)98-102
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Interprofessional Care
Volume28
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Health and social care
  • Interprofessional collaboration
  • Teamwork

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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