Operationalizing interprofessional collaborative practice: an evolutionary concept analysis of collaborative team functioning in healthcare

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) describes professionals working together toward shared goals, however, it does not specify how that collaboration is enacted, observed, or evaluated in day-to-day practice. Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is often used interchangeably with IPC, yet the absence of a clear operational definition limits consistent implementation, evaluation, and its measurement development across healthcare teams. This concept analysis used Rodgers’evolutionary method to clarify IPCP and distinguish it from IPC by identifying the antecedents, attributes, consequences, and exemplars that characterize its enactment in practice. A total of 43 articles published between 2014 and 2025 were analyzed and organized using Tofthagen and Fagerstrøm’s three-phase framework. Antecedents included a collaborative practice-ready workforce, clearly defined roles, communication, trust, and a shared mental model. Attributes included shared decision-making, individualized care planning, mutual respect, and reciprocal relationships. Consequences included enhanced role awareness, team empowerment, improved care outcomes, and mutuality among team members, patients, and families. Structured Interdisciplinary Bedside Rounds emerged as a practical exemplar of IPCP, particularly when hierarchical barriers were reduced. Building on these findings, IPCP is defined as collaborative team functioning enacted through shared decision-making, reciprocal relationships, role clarity, and coordinated communication among healthcare professionals, patients, and families to achieve safe, effective, and person-centered care. Whereas IPC describes the intent and structure of working together, IPCP adds a focus on how collaboration is enacted, sustained, and evaluated in real-world teams. These findings offer a foundation for future work operationalizing, implementing, and evaluating collaborative team functioning across healthcare settings.