Connectedness and Collaboration in Palliative Care Teams Across Work Settings: Results: from a QI Survey

Outcomes 1. Using our quality improvement model, participants will apply our mixed-Methods: methodology and preliminary findings to compare approaches to evaluating team connectedness and collaboration within their own practice settings.2. Based on the findings, participants will be able to leverage insights on the impact of remote and hybrid work configurations on team connectedness, collaboration, and overall well-being. Key Message Interdisciplinary team cohesion was reported as an important factor in overall well-being, with consistent trends describing feelings of connectedness and collaboration in relation to remote, in-person, and hybrid work models. Further qualitative analysis may inform future approaches to enhancing palliative care team connectedness across work settings. Introduction The success of palliative care teams is rooted in interdisciplinary cohesion1,2. As remote and hybrid work models persist, investigating their associations with organizational connectedness may have important implications for palliative care team wellness. As part of an iterative quality improvement initiative to enhance team dynamics within an urban academic palliative care/geriatrics division, this mixed-methods study aimed to characterize a relationship between work setting and feelings of connectedness and collaboration. These mixed-methods data will be used to inform future interventions and data collection within the division. Methods We developed a 22-item survey for faculty/staff within a palliative medicine and geriatrics division at an academic medical center, evaluating work settings, feelings of connectedness within the division, importance of connection (5-point Likert scale), likelihood for collaboration, and experiences of connection within the division (free-text responses). Descriptive statistics or frequencies were calculated for each variable by work setting group. Free-text responses will be analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results 45 participants responded to the survey (58% response rate; n=13 physicians, n=11 researchers, n=8 research coordinators, n=7 admin, n=4 social workers, n=2 chaplains). Most (86%) described connectedness as moderately-extremely important to overall well-being. People in hybrid work settings (61%) felt somewhat (44%) or definitely (33%) connected within the division; those working in-person (20%) felt definitely (56%) or somewhat (33%) connected; remote employees (18%) felt somewhat (63%) connected. Qualitative data, to be analyzed, indicate potential directions for improvement. Conclusion Connectedness is an important factor in overall well-being. This survey shows trends between work setting and feelings of connection and collaboration. Limitations of the study include sample size and limited generalizability. Future qualitative analysis and focus group interviews may provide additional insight into specific factors that facilitate or inhibit connectedness. Keywords Resilience / Well being; Interdisciplinary Teamwork / Professionalism