Initial & Ongoing Meetings

In this section, we focus on your initial meeting as well as the monthly meeting requirements,  designed to enhance our collaboration. The meetings provide a structured framework for open discussions, in-depth clinical case reviews, educational exchanges, and professional development. This section provides guidance, examples and best practices on the process for the initial and ongoing meetings as well as potential discussion topics. 

Matching Introductory Meeting

During the introductory meeting, Physicians may ask the following questions to assess a potential match. Practitioners may also ask similar questions to ensure the collaboration is mutually beneficial: 

What is your clinical background and experience?
Have you completed any specialized training relevant to our practice or patient population?
Are you comfortable with telemedicine and virtual patient interactions?
Do you have any specific needs or expectations for this collaboration?
Are there any limitations or restrictions to your scope of practice that I should be aware of?
How and when will we communicate with each other?
What is your availability for virtual meetings and consultations?
What is your preferred method of communication (e.g., email, video calls, phone calls)?
How will you handle emergencies or situations that require immediate attention?
Do you have access to the necessary technology and resources for virtual care?
How will patient records and documentation be managed in a virtual collaboration?
What electronic health record (EHR) system or software will you use, and are you familiar with it?
Are you open to participating in quality improvement initiatives and peer reviews?
Are you open to receiving feedback and making improvements as needed?
What are the procedures in place for handling emergencies or unexpected situations during virtual care?

Initial Meeting as Collaborators

The initial meeting after a collaboration agreement is signed must happen in the first 7-days. This can be a telephone call, a video conference or in-person. During this meeting you will want to discuss the following:

Schedule or be added to existing monthly meeting
Establish communication schedule and preferences
Grant and Accept access to EHR for chart reviews
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Monthly Meetings

Each collaboration is required to meet at least monthly and attest to the meeting. These meetings may be independent one on one or held in a group setting, which is recommended. The intention of these meetings was to give additional support, guidance, and education to the APCs. The below outlines a proposed agenda and potential topics of discussion:

Proposed Agenda: 

• Check-in and Welcome: Begin with a quick welcome and check-in to set a positive tone for the meeting.
• Review of Patient Cases: Focus on patient care issues, clinical questions, etc.  Discussing any urgent or high-priority patient cases that require immediate attention or coordination should not be held until the monthly meeting; rather these cases should be communicated in real time with the Physician.
• Operational Questions:  This can be questions around logistics such as med-mal providers, recommendations on EHRs, or thoughts around particular workflows or best practices. 
• Quick Updates: Share brief updates on recent medical developments, important guidelines, or essential information that everyone should be aware of.
• Case Studies and Complex Cases: Analyze complex patient cases in detail, exploring diagnostic challenges, treatment options, and the rationale behind decisions made. This can enhance clinical reasoning skills

Additional Meeting Topics and Discussion Items

If you would like to discuss other things in your monthly meetings, here are some proposed topics to continuing fostering a good and supportive collaboration: 

Topic	Options and Examples
Interdisciplinary Collaboration	Discuss strategies for collaborating effectively with other healthcare professionals, such as nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and specialists, to provide holistic patient care.
Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)	Deepen the understanding of EBM principles and critically appraise the latest research studies and their relevance to clinical practice.
Ethical and Legal Considerations	Address ethical dilemmas, legal issues, and informed consent, especially in cases where decisions might be challenging.
Quality Improvement Projects	Plan and execute quality improvement projects aimed at enhancing patient outcomes, reducing errors, and optimizing workflow processes.
Patient Education and Counseling Techniques	Share techniques for effective patient education and counseling, especially for chronic disease management and lifestyle modifications.
Cultural Competency and Diversity Training	Explore strategies for providing culturally competent care and ensuring sensitivity to the diverse backgrounds and beliefs of patients.
Mental Health and Well-being	Discuss strategies for managing stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout in healthcare professionals. Promote mental health and well-being among team members.
Medical Technology and Innovations	Stay updated on the latest medical technologies, telemedicine trends, and innovations that can improve patient care and practice efficiency.
Continuing Education Plans	Develop continuing education plans based on their professional goals and areas of interest.
Patient Safety	Review patient safety protocols, adverse event reporting, and strategies for preventing medical errors.
Healthcare Policy and Advocacy	Discuss healthcare policy changes, advocacy efforts, and how healthcare providers can engage in shaping healthcare policy at local, state, or national levels.
Research and Publication Opportunities	Encourage team members to engage in research projects and explore opportunities for publication, if applicable.
Long-Term Planning	Develop long-term goals and strategic plans for the healthcare team, including expansion, specialization, or adopting new services.