Beyond dyadic communication: Network of communication in inflammatory arthritis teams

Abstract

Following diagnosis, individuals with chronic conditions such as inflammatory arthritis (IA) face learning how to manage multiple new healthcare relationships. Despite existing literature on team care for people with IA, little is known about how teams negotiate care from perspectives of all team members. Objective To explore how communication is perceived and care is negotiated amongst IA healthcare teams by drawing on the perspectives of each team member. Method This analysis drew on data from an ongoing three-year study exploring team-based IA care. We interviewed 11 participants including two men with IA and their family care providers and healthcare providers. We used a three-staged analytic process and integrated broad tenets of social network theory to understand the relational dimensions of team members experiences. Result Analysis revealed three themes regarding communication and care: (1) seeking/sharing information, (2) striving to coordinate unified care, and (3) providing patients a voice. Discussion This study emphasizes the importance of understanding team dynamics beyond the dyad of patient and care provider. Negotiating power and decision-making in IA care is a dynamic process involving shifting levels of responsibility amongst a care team. Communication-based strategies that extend dyadic interactions may enhance teamwork and health outcomes in chronic conditions.