Collaboration and co-design key to positive healthcare outcomes

The AMA’s journal — the Medical Journal of Australia — looks at the vital role of collaboration in successful clinical change management and research design and priorities. 

In this week’s MJA podcast and corresponding Insight+ article, Senior Medical Oncologist at the Townsville Cancer Centre Professor Sabe Sabesan discusses the importance of collaboration and co-design in ensuring effective change management in a clinical setting.

Professor Sabesan tells MJA news and online editor Cate Swannell that “command and control doesn’t work,” and instead an approach of “team leadership” can aid in ensuring a well-functioning work environment. 

“The first people to observe and notice a problem or the success or failure of any model of care or system change are essentially the clinicians,” Professor Sabesan said.  

Collaborative environments allow for input from all members, and a good team culture is vital to ensure clinicians can effectively raise issues without facing “brick walls” obstructing positive changes. 

An Insight+ article this week looks at the successes of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in driving direction of MS research and advocacy. The authors note that “until recently consumers have played a minor role in their own health care. They are increasingly moving to centre stage; however, the research sphere must foster more growth in co-developing strategy and direction, with the consumer at the centre.”