Boosting Virtual Interprofessional Teamwork and Team-Based Practices in Mental Health

Background/Rationale:

Since Covid 19 hit our communities, providers have been challenged virtual team communication and delivering virtual service to clients and caregivers. Catalyzed by these challenges, interprofessional and interorganization collaboration have advancing innovations in virtual teaching and care. In collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin (CMHA PD) and the University of Toronto Centre for Interprofessional Education (IPE), the existing BOOST! (Building Optimal Outcome from Successful Teamwork) team-based care program was adapted to develop interprofessional (IP) competencies in a virtual format for mental health providers, leaders and teams at CMHA PD.

Learning Objectives:

1. Contrast the impact of “webside” manner with virtual interactions with clients, caregivers and team members
2. Describe interprofessional communication tools, team norms and structures that enable effective virtual collaboration and psychological safety in small client groups and team meetings
3. Apply learnings, practices and resources with facilitating a virtual team

Summit themes relevance and value of skills, practical knowledge and application for participants:

This interactive workshop highlights innovations in collaborative practicing across three different cross-sectoral organizations focusing on three interprofesional competencies role clarity, communication, team functioning and patient/family/client/community-centred care. The program highlights IP team virtual practices and Interprofessional telehealth models in a changing world demonstrated from real-world implementation with 120+ providers and leaders reflected on optimizing their virtual interactions with other professions/roles, clients and families with strong evaluation outcomes. Evaluations of this workshop were positive, averaging 4 out of 5 on program evaluation and facilitator likert scales. Pre- and post- assessments showed an increase from low 3 to 4+ out of 5 on competency likert scales. Qualitative response were complimentary noting “facilitators and energy of facilitators were genuine and engaging”, “helpful to review virtual etiquette during pandemic as conducting virtual meetings and groups now more so than ever” “being able to apply to our daily services with client, information relevant, especially with all the changes in our virtual world”.

Seminar Outline:

• Theory Burst: Overview of virtual team-based care program (5 min)
• Role Clarity Chat: Considering Roles and Expertise Needed for Virtual Care (10 min)
• Large Group Reflection Activity: Reflecting on your online “Website Manner”, nonverbal cues and screen background (5 min)
• Video Team Scenario and Small Group Breakout: Communication and SBAR Tool in virtual team meetings and client groups (15 min)
• Team Dynamics Brainstorming Activity: Group development and Norms in Virtual Teams (10 min)
• Small Group Breakout: Application to your context and learning about, from and with each other (15 min)

Seminar description, including plan for interactivity and timeline:

Participants in this workshop will experience a sampling of both the content and delivery of this virtual team-based care program. To support collaborative learning, facilitators will engage participants using small breakout sessions, large group debriefs, video team simulation, polling/chat box activities. Examples of virtual tools, norms, teaching strategies and scenarios will benefit interprofessional educators and clinicians considering application to their context.