The challenges of being a “Fish out of Water”

Working in multi-disciplinary teams in non-traditional disciplines

Bridget Allison & Dr. Kirsten McKenzie

National Centre for Classification in Health

Overview

• Introductions

• Definitions

• Commission for Children, Young People and Child Guardian (Child Death Review Team)

• Research in Health Information Management

Overview (cont.)

• Psychology and Public Health Research

• HIMs and Multi-disciplinary teams

• Challenges

• Effective Multi-disciplinary teams

• Benefits

• Future Developments

Introductions

• National Centre for Classification in Health (NCCH)

• Commission for Children, Young People and the Child Guardian (CCYPCG)

Introductions (cont.)

• Kirsten is a Research Fellow employed by NCCH

• Kirsten is involved in a number of research projects at NCCH

Definitions

• Commission for Children, Young People and Child Guardian

• Child Death Review Team

CCYPCG

• HIM services by NCCH through an agreement with CCYPCG.

• New position modelled on similar arrangements between NCCH Brisbane and other agencies

Child Death Review Background

• NSW and Victoria have established Child Death Review Teams (CDRT)

• Queensland Ombudsman and Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) both recommended implementation of a CDRT in Queensland

Child Death Review Background (cont.)

• Queensland Ombudsman reviewed the deaths of two children

• CMC Inquiry into foster care in Queensland, know as the ‘Protecting Children’ Inquiry in 2003

Child Death Review Team• CMC Recommendations that the Commission

for Children, Young People expand its role to:

– Maintain a register of deaths of all children

– Review the causes and patterns of death of children

– Review in detail all Dept Child Safety (DCS) case reviews

– Conduct broader research

– Prepare an annual report(CMC, 2004: 166)

CDR Team Members

• Angela Ritchie – Manager • Emma King – Principal Analyst• Rebecca Shipstone – Senior Analyst• Yolandy Warr – Assistant Analyst• Isaac Asamoah – Research Assistant• Bridget Allison – Health Information Manager

Research in Health Info Mgt

• Many disciplines are involved in HIM research

• All of these disciplines have their distinct strengths and weaknesses

Psychology and Public Health research

• Psychology focuses on the individual and small group practices

• Public health focuses more on prevention and intervention

HIM and multi-disciplinary teams

• Diverse backgrounds from both health and non-health areas, for example, Information Technology consultants

HIM and multi-disciplinary teams (cont.)

• Previous experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team was reviewing the care provided to trauma patients admitted to a tertiary level hospital

Challenges with being a fish out of water

• CDRT had scarce knowledge of medical terminology

• No exposure to health classifications excluding DSM-IV

Challenges with being a fish out of water (cont.)

• Different requirements for data

• No other health professionals in the team to ‘bounce’ ideas off

Effective multi-disciplinary teams

• Three key factors are:

• Clear communication

• Effective leadership

• Education

Clear communication

• Formal and informal communication

• Get to know team members

• Flexibility

Effective leadership

• Leaders need to know the skills and expertise of each team member

• One-on-one meetings

Education

• On-the-job education and communication

• Training outside of the general work environment

Benefits

• Learning new skills

• Imparting knowledge

• Able to review issues from different perspectives

Future Developments

• NCCH Grant applications

• CDRT Research projects

– Death certificates against child protection documentation

– Rural child deaths

– Fatal abuse and neglect

THANK YOU!

References:• Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2003 [Online] [Accessed 29 April

2005] Available: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/B/BirthsDMA03.pdf

• Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000 [Online] [Accessed 29 April 2005] Available: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/C/CommisChildA00.pdf

• Coroners Act 2003 [Online] [Accessed 29 April 2005] Available: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/C/CoronersA03.pdf

• Crime and Misconduct Commission. Protecting Children: An inquiry into abuse of children in foster care [Online] 2004 [Accessed 15 April 2005]. Available: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/library/CMCWEBSITE/ProtectingChildren.pdf

• Queensland Ombudsman. Report of the Queensland Ombudsman: An investigation into the adequacy of the actions of certain government agencies in relation to the safety, well being and care of the late baby Kate, who died aged 10 weeks. 'Baby Kate Report' [Online] 2003 [Accessed 29 April 2005]. Available: http://www.ombudsman.qld.gov.au/publications/pdfs/OMB-3281%20Baby%20Kate.pdf

• Queensland Ombudsman. Report of the Queensland Ombudsman: An investigation into the adequacy of the actions of certain government agencies in relation to the safety of the late Brooke Brennan, aged three. [Online] 2002 [Accessed 29 April 2005]. Available: http://www.ombudsman.qld.gov.au/complaint/pdfs/brooke_brennan_report.pdf