Inter-Professional Collaboration, Team Dynamics and Patients Outcomes in Medical Social Work : a Study of Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the role and effectiveness of inter-professional collaboration (IPC) within healthcare teams, focusing on medical social work at Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Using qualitative interviews with doctors, nurses, medical social workers, and patients, the research explored how collaborative practices influenced team dynamics and patient outcomes. The findings revealed that IPC is widely practiced and positively perceived, contributing significantly to holistic patient care. However, its implementation remained inconsistent due to structural challenges, unclear role definitions, and professional hierarchies particularly the marginalization of the medical social worker's role. Guided by Stakeholder Theory and Tuckman’s Team Development Model, the study demonstrated that where mutual respect, effective communication, and shared understanding were present, collaboration thrived and patient outcomes improved. Nevertheless, informal cooperation, staff shortages, limited interdisciplinary training, and the absence of formal protocols weakened collaborative sustainability. The study concluded that effective IPC required not only individual goodwill but also systemic reforms, including role clarification, institutional support, and structured interdisciplinary engagement to strengthen healthcare delivery.