Biomedical Information Sharing by Medical Family Therapists

Abstract

Abstract The manner in which Medical Family Therapists (MedFTs) share patients’ biomedical information during collaboration with physicians has not been described in the research literature. The qualitative study presented here was designed to address this gap. Narratives of MedFT biomedical information sharing were gathered from 12 pioneers and leaders in the field using semi-structured interviews based on Elite Interviewing techniques. Thematic analysis was performed on the data using a Framework Analysis technique. A typology of biomedical information commonly shared by the elite participants is described. A 5-point recursive process to share biomedical information was developed based on the cumulative wisdom of the elite participants. The sharing of biomedical information is found to have developed reflexively by the participants in response to the demands and pressures of the healthcare environment. Key factors contributing to successful information sharing include the existence of professional and personal relationships between healthcare collaborators, and the relational skills of the MedFT to successfully communicate with the healthcare team. It is concluded that the successful development of the biomedical information sharing practice is related to the family systems orientation and training of these field pioneers. Implications for future research in collaborative communication and MedFT training are discussed. Key words: biomedical information, collaborative communication, elite interviewing, framework analysis, Medical Family Therapy, practice development, qualitative research