Current Status and Challenges of Interorganizational Collaborative Work in Home-Based Medical and Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: Home-based medical and long-term care involve multiple facilities and organizations that support individuals in their living environments, making interorganizational collaboration essential. However, few studies have comprehensively synthesized collaborative practices, challenges, and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in this context. This study aimed to map interorganizational collaborative practices in home-based medical and long-term care and summarize the associated challenges, including those related to ICT use.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR. Ichushi-Web and CiNii were searched, and additional hand-searches of the reference lists were conducted.

Results: Of 8,543 records identified, 17 studies were included. Interorganizational collaborative work included information sharing and communication, consultation and support for service users, participation in meetings and case conferences, and document preparation and management. The main challenges included insufficient opportunities and content for collaboration, lack of established collaboration procedures, excessive workload, coordination difficulties, and differences in recognition and understanding among facilities and organizations. Conventional methods, such as documents, telephone calls, and face-to-face communication, were commonlyused. The use of ICT-based information systems was reported in some studies.

Conclusion: Interorganizational collaborative work in home-based medical and long-term care was diverse and important for continuous care. To improve such collaborations, further research is needed to identify factors that facilitate or hinder interorganizational collaboration, including ICT use, and to inform regional consensus-building and operational rule development.