Health Care Team Communication

Often called multidisciplinary teams or treatment teams, health care teams are made up of a variety of different disciplines that ideally work together with the goals of providing the best care to the individual. For such teams to function properly, communication is key.

Function

• Depending on the setting, treatment teams can consist of different disciplines including doctors, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, social workers and physician's assistants. One hindrance to good communication on such a team is the hierarchy that often exists. Teams that get to know each other, meet regularly and are not struggling over power tend to have better communication, according to the "Journal of Advanced Nursing."

Prevention

• There are other elements that also aid good communication. For instance, team commitment, an organized work flow with clear procedures, trust and respect are among the qualities that team members have reported as being helpful for good communication and positive team interactions.

Warning

• Poor team communication can lead to bad patient outcomes. As noted by Alan Simpson in the May 2007 issue of the "Journal of Advanced Nursing," if tensions between team members are not explored, delivery of care can be hindered. In a mental health setting, for instance, these tensions can contribute to suicides and homicides.