Inviting the absent members: examining how caregivers' participation affects hospice team communication.

This paper is a secondary observation of a larger pilot study. The Assessing Caregivers for Team Intervention via Video Encounters intervention project enabled caregiver participation in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings. This paper used the team observation scale to assess the impact of caregiver involvement on team structure, process, and outcome. Comparisons were made between traditional team meetings and the team meetings that involved caregivers by using videotapes of both. Analysis found that team meetings with participating caregivers had better team outcomes, with more patient-centered goals, increased discussion of biopsychosocial problems, and the development of interdisciplinary care plans occurring more often than in the traditional hospice team meetings. Findings from this study show benefits for inclusion of caregivers in hospice team meetings.