Preparing Military Interprofessional Health Care Teams for Effective Collaboration

Introduction Military Interprofessional Health care Teams (MIHTs) are the backbone of modern military medicine. However, these teams face distinct operational challenges, including frequent personnel rotation, diverse work environments, and the constant possibility of rapid deployment. Serving in dynamic teams that deploy for both military and humanitarian missions, MIHTs face the unique challenge of constant restructuring and reorganization. Consequently, preparing MIHT members to function effectively as a team presents a significant hurdle. This difficulty highlights the limited applicability of existing literature focused on training civilian interprofessional health care teams. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with MIHT members to understand specific training elements that equip MIHT members to effectively collaborate. By gaining a deeper understanding of their needs, we can improve training programs and ultimately optimize MIHT performance, readiness, and patient care. Methods We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with military health care professionals. We employed purposeful sampling to ensure a diverse range of perspectives from individuals with direct experience working in or leading MIHTs. The 30 participants interviewed represented a broad spectrum of MIHT professions. The data used for this study stems from a broader research program on MIHTs conducted between 2017 and 2019. We conducted a secondary analysis focusing specifically on interview data related to education and training. Using Braun and Clarke's 6-step approach to Thematic Analysis, we identified themes from the data to build an understanding of MIHT perspectives on training effectiveness. Results The participants' insights allowed us to identify 3 critical themes related to the training elements they considered most beneficial for fostering collaboration within MIHTs: (1) MIHT members rely on their own predeployment readiness; (2) MIHT contexts require unique, adaptive communication skills; and (3) MIHT training is an ongoing endeavor. Discussion We need our MIHTs to be ready to deploy and effectively collaborate, which involves being clinically, emotionally, physically, and operationally ready. MIHT members describe 3 aspects of specific training elements as having significant potential to equip them to effectively collaborate: (1) MIHT members rely on their own predeployment readiness; (2) MIHT contexts require unique, adaptive communication skills; and (3) MIHT training is an ongoing endeavor at both the individual and team levels. By investing in tailored training programs that address these areas, we can empower MIHTs to continuously adapt, excel, and ultimately, positively impact patient outcomes in diverse military health care settings.