CanMEDS-FM Collaborator Competencies
Definition
As Collaborators, family physicians work with patients, families, healthcare teams, other health professionals, and communities to achieve optimal patient care.
Description
Family physicians collaborate and consult with others in the health care system who are involved in the care of individuals or specific groups of patients. Family physicians see themselves as part of a community network of health professionals and are skilled at collaborating as team members or team leaders. This is increasingly important in a modern multiprofessional environment, where the goal of patient-centred care is widely shared.
Modern healthcare teams not only include a group of professionals working closely together at single sites, but also extended teams with a variety of perspectives and skills, in multiple locations. It is therefore essential for family physicians to be able to collaborate with patients, families, health professionals, community agencies and policy makers for the provision of optimal care, education and scholarship.
Key Competencies- Family physicians are able to:
1. Participate in a collaborative team-based model and with consulting health professionals in the care of patients
2. Maintain a positive working environment with consulting health professionals, health care team members, and community agencies
3. Engage patients or specific groups of patients and their families as active participants in their care
Key and Enabling Competencies- Family physicians are able to:
1. Participate in a collaborative team-based model and with consulting health professionals in the care of patients
1.1 Clearly describe their roles and responsibilities to other professionals
1.2 Describe the roles and responsibilities of other professionals within the health care team
1.3 Recognize and respect the diversity of roles, responsibilities and competencies of other professionals in relation to their own
1.4 Work with others to assess, plan, provide and integrate care for individual patients or groups of patients.
1.5 Where needed, work with others to assess, plan, provide and review non-clinical tasks, such as research problems, educational work, program review or administrative responsibilities
1.6 Participate effectively in interprofessional team meetings
1.7 Enter into interdependent relationships with other professions for the provision of quality care
1.8 Utilize the principles of team dynamics to enhance team performance
1.9 Contribute to working relationships on teams and participate in a collegial process to designate appropriate team leadership roles
1.10 Respect team ethics, including confidentiality, resource allocation and professionalism
1.11 Where appropriate, demonstrate leadership in a healthcare team
2. Maintain a positive working environment with consulting health professionals, health care team members, and community agencies
2.1 Demonstrate a respectful attitude towards other colleagues and members of an interprofessional team
2.2 Work with other professionals to prevent conflicts
2.3 Employ collaborative negotiation to resolve conflicts
2.4 Respect differences, misunderstandings and limitations in other professionals
2.5 Recognize one’s own differences, misunderstanding and limitations that may contribute to interprofessional tension
2.6 Reflect on interprofessional team function
3. Engage patients or specific groups of patients and their families as active participants in their care
3.1 Find common ground on the identification of problems and priorities of interventions
3.2 Find common ground on the methods and goals of treatment
3.3 Work to establish the respective roles of family physician and patient
3.4 Work with patients and families to optimize health