Multidisciplinary Teams: How do we get there?

While the current mandates for restricted work hours for residents and fellows are giving them much needed relief from their long shifts, the resulting shortage of providers and the elevated importance of quality and patient safety measures produce new challenges for multidisciplinary teams. Traditional models of care will no longer be enough to provide safe, effective, and efficient patient care.  New, strategic, team focused-collaborations will drive “Multidisciplinary Teamwork” oriented solutions.

To alleviate this shortage and address quality initiatives, a team of Advanced Practice Providers (Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants) and residents in collaboration with the attending physician will be the new “Hybrid Model of Care,” according to Joshua Koch, MD, Medical Director of the CICU at the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center.  His vision of bridging the gap with Advanced Practice Providers to provide quality medical care is gaining attention as he makes the case that hospitals must utilize nurse practitioners and physician assistants in new roles. 

Explore Pediatric Advanced Practice Jobs 

Traditionally, APPs worked in clinic settings or specialty units such as the NICU, but they are qualified for and are moving into areas of all medical specialties as a result of their advanced education and clinical experience and expertise. The addition and expansion of the Advanced Practice Provider role on multidisciplinary teams brings new challenges and opportunities to achieve the highest quality and outcomes.

Dr. Koch spoke at the 2013 Pediatric Critical Care Colloquium, last November 2-5, in Washington, DC.  You can view Dr. Koch's presentation here to learn more about his ideas on building and implementing multidisciplinary APP teams including the importance of training, leadership, teamwork, and communication strategies, and more.  Not only is his focus on the needs of today, but his vision includes ongoing professional development, education, and research to provide strategies to bridge the gap now and in the future.

Melnic Consulting Group works with children’s hospitals nationwide to provide highly skilled Advanced Practice Providers (APPs-Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants).  We have the unique opportunity to learn from the challenges and successes in the implementation of “Multidisciplinary Teamwork.”  Please see the following resources as you seek to grow and develop your teams:
APP Teams and Care Coordination Framework, Josh Koch, MD
Advanced Practice Provider Retention Strategies

To inquire about these jobs visit Melnic Consulting Group or contact: Jill Gilliland 800-886-7906 jill@melnic.com

Pediatric Critical Care Colloquium 2013

Last week's Pediatric Critical Care Colloquium, in Washington, DC, was an incredible opportunity to hear outstanding presentations on topics such as Palliative Care, Ethical Considerations around “Do Everything”, Wynne Morris, MD,  Bringing BMT to the PICU by Cheryl Reggio, RN and Amy Kokkinos, RN, and Leading Change-Science Supporting the Future of Nursing Practice, Martha Curley, RN, PhD, FAAN,  and a focus on quality and safety discussing Unplanned Extubations: The Most Harmful of Preventable Harm?, Darren Klugman, MD.  One of the highlights was a visionary perspective on Leading in Uncertain Times: The Power of Teams in Transforming Care, by Kathleen Chavanu Gorman, MSN, RN  EVP, Patient Care Services & COO Children's National Medical Center.

Melnic Consulting Group enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with some of the nation's most experienced and influential pediatric critical care providers. Thank you to David Stockwell, MD, John Berger, MD, Krista Cato, RN and all of Children’s National for their commitment of time and resources to the successful conference.

If you were unable to attend PCCC, we're sorry we missed you.  The good news is, you can access the innovative presentations here. Consider joining us next year at Children’s Hospital Orange County! 

Sunday's panel discussion on "Multidisciplinary Teams in the ICU: building, learning and preparing for what is ahead," received tremendous feedback.  Dr. Joshua Koch's presentation on building an advanced practice team in the ICU was a particularly hot topic.  Dr. Koch passionately articulated that new, strategic, team focused-collaborations will drive "Multidisciplinary Teamwork" oriented solutions to the physician shortage ahead, and Advanced Practice Providers will be at the core of the new "Hybrid Model of Care." View the Presentation

Are you considering adding Nurse Practitioners in the ICU but still have questions such as;
How do we find NPs?  What's the relationship between fellows and NPs? 
And how do we integrate NPs in the ICU?  We can help!  
Ask us more about adding Nurse Practitioners in the ICU

To inquire about Pediatric Critical Care Nursing jobs visit Melnic Consulting Group or contact: Jill Gilliland 800-886-7906 jill@melnic.com