Learning from the experience of a long-standing interprofessional osteogenesis imperfecta clinic: A case study evaluation

BackgroundOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder whose management requires an interprofessional approach. The Shriners Hospital for Children Canada in Montreal has one of the longest-running interprofessional osteogenesis imperfecta clinics (or OICs) for patients with severe cases of this complex disease.PurposeTo gain insight into the barriers and facilitators of interprofessional collaboration based on the experience of the Shriners Hospital interprofessional OICs.MethodWe conducted a qualitative process evaluation using semi-structured interviews, and observations. Participants were 17 key informants representing front-line staff, hospital administrators, external observers, and 16 patients with severe OI.DiscussionFacilitators of OIC included shared values and balancing individual professional goals with organizational goals; logistical challenges and a lack of systematic monitoring and evaluation were barriers to implementation.ConclusionsResults of the study provide insight into factors that should be taken into consideration when replicating this interprofessional model in other clinical settings.