BACKGROUND
Effective communication and collaboration between health professionals are essential prerequisites for patient-centred care. However, interprofessional teams require adequate structures and tools to adequately use their professional competencies at the service of high-quality care appropriate to the patient’s life situation. In this context, digital tools might enhance interprofessional communication and collaboration and lead to an organizationally, socially and ecologically sustainable healthcare system. However, there is a lack of studies, systematically assessing critical factors for successful implementation of digital communication tools in the healthcare setting.
OBJECTIVE
The aim is to analyse and synthetize the (implicit) definition, dimensions and concepts of digital communication and collaboration between healthcare professionals in the healthcare setting, and identify research gaps in the area of digital communication and collaboration. Studies focussing on digital communication and collaboration practices between healthcare professionals, including medical doctors and qualified medical assistances will be included in this review.
METHODS
Within this scoping review five databases (SCOPUS, CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo) will be searched for studies assessing digital communication and collaboration between various healthcare professionals in different healthcare settings.
RESULTS
Key characteristics of the papers included will be summarized through descriptive analysis, using diagrams and tables. We will synthesize and map the data and conduct a qualitative in-depth thematic analysis of definitions and dimensions of interprofessional digital communication and collaboration between health and nursing care professionals.
CONCLUSIONS
Results from this scoping review may help in establishing collaborations between various stakeholders in the healthcare setting and successfully implementing new forms of interprofessional communication and collaboration. This could facilitate the transition to a better-coordinated care and encourage the development of digital frameworks for integrated care.