Skip to main content
2025 Annual Convention & Scientific Sessions Main banner

Plenary

Relational Coordination: Repairing the Pattern that Connects

Wednesday, October 8, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM East Coast USA Time
Location: Calusa 1-6

    Speaker(s)

  • Jeffrey M. Krepps, PhD

    Associate Professor of Behavioral Health
    Campbell University - School of Osteopathic Medicine
    Buies Creek, North Carolina, United States

  • Julie K. Sterbank, DO, MPH, FACOI (she/her/hers)

    Associate Professor, Internal Medicine & Pediatrics; Adult and Pediatric, Allergy & Immunology
    Case Western University/MetroHealth Medical Center
    Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Disclosure(s):
Julie K. Sterbank, DO, MPH, FACOI: No financial relationships to disclose
Jeffrey M. Krepps, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose
Cao, Q., & Naruse, T. (2019). Effect of time pressure on burnout among home‐visiting nurses: The moderating role of relational coordination with nurse managers. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 16(2), 221–231. https://doi.org/10.1111/jjns.12230

Gittell, J. H., Logan, C., Cronenwett, J., Foster, T. C., Freeman, R., Godfrey, M., & Vidal, D. C. (2018). Impact of relational coordination on staff and patient outcomes in outpatient surgical clinics. Health Care Management Review, 45(1), 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0000000000000192

Havens, D. S., Gittell, J. H., & Vasey, J. (2018). Impact of relational coordination on nurse job satisfaction, work engagement and burnout: Achieving the Quadruple Aim. Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(3), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000587

Havens, D. S., Vasey, J., Gittell, J. H., & Lin, W. T. (2013). Relational coordination among nurses and other providers: Impact on work engagement, practice environment, and involvement in decision making. Journal of Nursing Management, 21(6), 843–852. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12123

House, S., Wilmoth, M., & Kitzmiller, R. (2022). Relational coordination and staff outcomes among healthcare professionals: A scoping review. Journal of Interprofessional Care. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2021.1965101

Noel, P. H., Lanham, H. J., Palmer, R. F., & Leykum, L. K. (2013). The importance of relational coordination and reciprocal learning for chronic illness care within primary care teams. Health Care Management Review, 38(1), 20–28. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0b013e3182497262

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain Gregory Bateson’s concept of the “Pattern that Connects” and describe its relevance to fragmentation and resilience in healthcare systems.
  • Define the seven dimensions of Relational Coordination (RC) and evaluate how they apply to clinical team interactions.
  • Analyze the relationship between weak RC dimensions and physician burnout while identifying how stronger RC supports engagement and wellness.