Problems in our health care system are often in the headlines these days. For a change, why not talk about the winning recipe of some successful teams? A question of putting a little light in this darkness and instilling a wind of hope.
In our immense Quebec health network, there are teams made up of multiple professionals who provide care while considering both the physical and psychological aspects. These teams include nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, social workers, psychoeducators, special education technicians, nutritionists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, audiologists, spiritual care workers, etc. etc. It sometimes happens that all these professionals are involved with the same patient. It just goes to show that each of the professionals has a unique expertise and role! These teams are found in certain rehabilitation centers, in certain hospitals or CLSCs, etc.
The essential ingredients
What are the basic ingredients for the success of these teams? Almost constant communication fostered by frequent meetings, egalitarian relationships, the importance given to both physical and psychological health, the rapid engagement of various professionals as needed, respect for expertise and professional autonomy of each. These are teams where we do not ask a professional to do the tasks that fall under the expertise of another, since we understand that they are not interchangeable.
Thanks to this cohesion and respect, patients and their families feel that all professionals are moving in the same direction and communicate a coherent message, thus reducing their stress and increasing their coping skills. Which, in turn, can reduce hospitalization time and emergency room visits.
A set of professionals who arrive at a coordinated ballet so that patients and their families feel supported as a whole. An ecosystem where every “element” is essential.
Most of these teams use a step-by-step model of care, meaning that not all professionals are necessarily involved with the same patient from the start, even though they may also be involved at the start. need. The concept of “the right care at the right time” is applied, that is to say that all professionals are available quickly and the roles of each are clear.
This model can only work if all professionals are accessible. If a link is missing, patients and other caregivers suffer.
Let us take as an example a team in a pediatric environment which welcomes a child following a car accident: the social worker will intervene with the family from the start to promote adaptation, support and assess needs. The psychoeducator will work with the child to help him get through this difficult period and accompany him during sometimes very stressful medical procedures.
If, despite this support, the child continues to have difficulties affecting his recovery and well-being, the psychologist’s expertise will be requested. For example, if the patient has significant symptoms of anxiety, opposes medical treatment, is depressed and cannot do the exercises recommended by the physiotherapist, has pictures intrusive (flashback) or nightmares of the accident preventing him from sleeping, the team will ask the psychologist for help. If necessary, he will intervene from the start. This would be the case, for example, for an injured child who has to deal with the death of family members and who presents suicidal thoughts.
Yes, these caring and efficient interdisciplinary teams do exist! Many of us are part of it! Let’s make sure we keep them for the good of all! Let us put them more in place, both in family medicine groups, in order to free family doctors, as well as in CLSCs, hospitals, youth centers, rehabilitation centers, etc.
Let’s not forget that each professional is unique. Efforts to attract and retain each of them will not be in vain. Both patients and network workers will benefit.
* This letter is co-signed by around fifty health professionals:
Connie Scuccimarri, psychologist and administrator of the Coalition of psychologists of the Quebec public network
Catherine Serra Poirier, psychologist, vice-president liaison of the Coalition of psychologists of the Quebec public network
Béatrice Filion, psychologist and vice-president secretary of the Coalition of psychologists of the Quebec public network
Loredana Marchica, psychologist and communications manager for the Coalition of Psychologists of the Quebec Public Network
Youssef Allami, psychologist and administrator of the Coalition of Psychologists of the Quebec Public Network
Marc-André Pinard, psychologist and administrator of the Coalition of psychologists of the Quebec public network
Lisa Grilli, physiotherapist
Marie-Pier Héroux, social worker
Sophie Vallee-Smejda, nurse practitioner
Vania Jimenez, family doctor
Larry C. Lands, pulmonologist
Christine Tibi, psychoeducator
Simon Dufour-Turbis, psychiatrist
Martine Giroux, speech therapist
Geneviève Legault, pediatric neuro-oncologist and pediatric neuro-oncologist
Amélie Turcotte, audiologist
Laurence Charlebois-Plante, social worker, marriage and family therapist, psychotherapist
Naomi Goloff, pediatric palliative care physician
Christine Beaulieu, physiotherapist
Stephen Liben, Pediatric Palliative Care Physician
Ann-Marie Suess, Head Nurse in Pediatric Oncology Hematology
Valérie Labbé, pediatrician
Geneviève Richer, psychologist
Sylvestre Roy-Chénier, social worker
Anne Choquette, advanced practice nurse in hematology oncology
Lianne Kopel, pulmonologist
Josée Pacifico, nurse in hematology oncology
Julien Maltais, psychiatrist
Kim Desmarais, psychologist
Gabrielle Brodeur, pediatric palliative care physician
Debbie Schichtman, nurse
Anna Paliotti, pediatric educator
Julius Erdstein, pediatrician, specialist in adolescent medicine
Pascal Comeau, certified music therapist
Giuseppina Di Meglio, doctor specializing in adolescent medicine
Rachel Sinyor, mental health nurse
Monica Arnaldi, special education teacher
Le Thi Nguyen Gia, pediatric and adult palliative care physician
Loïs Roussel, nurse clinical consultant in pediatric palliative care
Mariane Labrecque, social worker
Cinzia Marchica, doctor in Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery
Patricia Hammes, psychologist
Sue Mylonopoulos, social worker
Erika Laberge, pediatric complex pain physiotherapist
Suzanne MacDonald, pediatrician, specialist in adolescent medicine
Mia Grillakis, clinical nurse in mental health
Claude Baillargeon, pediatric and adult palliative care physician
Rochelle Margles, mental health nurse
Claude Cyr, pediatric intensive care physician
Angeliki Souranis, social worker
Rebecca Pitt, clinical nurse