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Commentary: Patient-C entered Care, the Sine Qua Non of Collaborative MedicineCatholic Health Initiatives, 2525 S. Downing 12-L, Denver, CO 80210, milthammerly{at}chi-national.org Collaborative medicine requires practitioners and disciplines with varied training and philosophies to work together toward a common clinical goal. Distinct differences between the various practitioners and disciplines can serve as both opportunities for synergy and barriers to collaboration. There must be a clear and compelling reason that motivates different practitioners and disciplines to do the hard work needed to overcome barriers to collaboration. Patient-centered care is the compelling reason, the defining characteristic that must underlie all collaborative medicine efforts. The practical application of this principle is illustrated by the experience of a large health care system (Catholic Health Initiatives). From a complexity theory standpoint, patient-centered care and collaboration can be thought of as simple rules that guide desirable behaviors in a complex system. The application of these two simple rules is as relevant in the microcosm of collaborative medicine as it is in the larger macrocosm of health care.
Key Words: Complexity theory • collaborative medicine • integrative medicine • patient-centered care
American Journal of Medical Quality, Vol. 17, No. 1,
33-38 (2002) |
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