Sarcouncil Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has emerged as a critical strategy for improving teamwork, optimizing clinical performance, and enhancing the quality of care in modern healthcare systems. Despite extensive global research, empirical evidence integrating IPC, team effectiveness, and quality of work remains limited in Asian island contexts such as the Maldives. This conceptual paper examines the impact of IPC practices on team effectiveness and quality care among healthcare professionals working in public hospitals in the Greater Malé Region. Guided by the Sunnybrook Framework, the study conceptualizes IPC through six core competencies: shared decision-making, interprofessional communication, role clarification, conflict resolution, reflection, and interprofessional values and ethics. The paper proposes that these competencies collectively enhance collaborative behaviors, strengthen team functioning, and elevate professional performance, thereby improving care quality. By identifying gaps in existing literature and emphasizing context-specific challenges such as workforce shortages and rising non-communicable diseases, this work highlights the urgent need for structured IPC implementation in Maldivian hospitals. The conceptual model presented provides a theoretically grounded foundation for future empirical research and supports the development of policies and training programs aimed at fostering sustainable, team-based healthcare delivery.