An ontology-driven framework to support the dynamic formation of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. (April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wilk, Szymon; Kezadri-Hamiaz, Mounira; Amyot, Daniel; Michalowski, Wojtek; Kuziemsky, Craig; Catal, Nihan; Rosu, Daniela; Carrier, Marc; Giffen, Randy
• Is Part Of: International journal of medical informatics. Volume 136(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Subjects: BPMN Business Process Model and Notation -- HIS hospital information system -- IHT interdisciplinary healthcare team -- IT information technology -- MRP most responsible physician -- TWMF team and workflow management framework; Team-based care delivery -- Interdisciplinary healthcare team -- Dynamic team formation -- Clinical workflow -- Workflow execution engine; Medical informatics -- Periodicals; Information science -- Periodicals; Computers -- Periodicals; Medical technology -- Periodicals; Medical Informatics -- Periodicals; Technology, Medical -- Periodicals; Computers; Information science; Medical informatics; Medical technology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104075
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1386-5056

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Complex patients' care is provided by interdisciplinary healthcare teams (IHTs). Dynamic formation of the IHT posits challenges and asks for new support methods. We propose a novel framework to model and operationalize dynamic IHT formation. We present a proof-of-concept implementation using IBM Business Process Manager. Abstract: Background and purpose: Teamwork has become a modus operandi in healthcare and delivery of patient care by an interdisciplinary healthcare team (IHT) is now a prevailing modality of care. We argue that a formal and automated support framework is needed for an IHT to properly leverage information technology resources. Such a framework should allow for patient preferences and expand a representation of a clinical workflow with a formal model of dynamic formation of a team, especially with regards to team leader- and membership, and the assignment of tasks to team members. Our goal was to develop such a support framework, present its prototype software implementation and verify the implementation using a proof-of-concept use case. Specifically, we focused on clinical workflows for in-patient tertiary care and on patient preferences with regards to selecting team members and team leaders. Materials and methods: Drawing on the research on clinical teamwork we defined the conceptual foundations for the proposed framework. Then, we designed its architecture and used ontology-driven design and first-order logic with associated reasoning methods to create and operationalize architectural elements. Finally, we incorporated existing solutions for business workflow modeling and execution as a backend for implementing the proposed framework. Results: We developed a Team and Workflow Management Framework (TWMF) with semantic components that allow for formalizing and operationalizing team formation in in-patient tertiary care setting and support provider-related patient preferences. We also created a prototype software implementation of TWMF using the IBM Business Process Manager platform. This implementation was evaluated in several simulated patient scenarios. Conclusions: TWMF integrates existing workflow technologies and extends them with the capabilities to support dynamic formation of an IHT. Results of this research can be used to support real-time execution of clinical workflows, or to simulate their execution in order to assess the impact of various conditions (e.g., patterns of work shifts, staffing) on IHT operations.