title: Interdisciplinary collaboration: the voices of hospice medical directors.
abstract: The value of interdisciplinary collaboration is a significant aspect of the palliative care philosophy, as identified by the founder of the modern hospice movement Cecily Saunders. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the experiences of hospice medical directors within this collaborative context. Open-ended interviews with 17 hospice medical directors were done and their responses were thematically analyzed. These narratives present a very positive collaborative experience by these medical directors in their hospice settings. Assisting medical directors to find time and financial opportunities for professional development and support within their role was found to be an opportunity to further improve collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Curtis W. and Ann H. Long Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA. oliverdr@health.missouri.edu
authors.forename: Debra Parker
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tatum
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kapp
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D006738:Hospices / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008486:Physician Executives; D024382:Professional Role; D013192:Staff Development; D014481:United States