INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION IN ACUTE AND EMERGENCY CARE AND ITS IMPACT ON CLINICAL OUTCOMES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract Background: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is increasingly emphasized in emergency departments (EDs) and other acute-care settings to improve throughput, safety, and patient-centered outcomes. We synthesized evidence from original studies available in PubMed Central (PMC) evaluating IPC interventions in acute and emergency care and their associations with clinical outcomes. Methods: We performed a PRISMA-informed systematic search of PMC (from inception to 31 December 2025) for original studies in adult or pediatric acute and/or ED settings that implemented an IPC intervention (team triage, multidisciplinary programs, pharmacist integration, cross-service handoff redesign) and reported measurable clinical outcomes (ED length of stay, time-to-provider, left-without-being-seen, admissions, mortality, readmissions, functional outcomes, ED utilization). Two reviewers applied eligibility criteria, and we narratively synthesized results due to methodological heterogeneity. Results: Ten original studies met eligibility. Interprofessional triage or diagnostic anticipation models were commonly associated with improved throughput metrics, including shorter ED length of stay and/or shorter time to key decisions (Liu et al. 2018; Yousefi et al. 2023; Strada et al. 2020). Multidisciplinary redesign of admission/handoff processes reduced time to inpatient bed request and improved communication between ED and hospital medicine (Imhoff et al. 2022). Multidisciplinary clinical programs showed outcome benefits in specific populations, including lower 30-day in-hospital mortality among severely ill patients achieving a structured ED time-management pathway in Korea (Kim et al. 2022) and reduced pediatric ED utilization after implementation of a multidisciplinary tracheostomy team (Mansoor et al. 2025). A geriatric ED program incorporating multidisciplinary consultation reduced post-ED functional decline and supported patient-centered outcomes (Southerland et al. 2025). Across studies, effects varied by baseline crowding, staffing, and the degree of integration across professional roles. Conclusion: IPC interventions in acute and emergency care are frequently associated with improvements in throughput and, in targeted programs, meaningful clinical outcome gains. Future work should standardize IPC definitions, measure safety outcomes alongside flow metrics, and evaluate implementation in diverse ED contexts.