Interprofessional Decision Making

In this chapter we focus on inter-professional approaches to decision making and their demonstrated benefits and challenges, particularly in high-stakes decision making situations of risk. We start this chapter by providing a definition of inter-professional decision making. We then analyse research evidence as to factors that support effective collaboration in decision making from a holistic perspective that takes into account interactional processes as well as systemic factors or contextual conditions. We illustrate our key points by examples of collaborative decision-making in relation to assessment of risks and needs in the context of child welfare, mental health, and social work with older people. Based on the lesson learned from field studies on the ways inter-professional decision making unfolds in real-world social work practice, we suggest key points to consider in terms of policy and practice when aiming to enhance useful inter-professional decision-making processes as well as some next steps for research