Members of a Health Care Team

Super-specialty hospitals, private health care clinics, general hospitals, emergency rooms and academic medical centers can run smoothly due to the prevalence of well-knit and cohesive health care teams. Members of a health care team in any entity, organization or hospital unit dispensing health and medical care have their allocated and varied responsibilities and specialized tasks. The coordination and seamless interaction between the members of a health care team goes a long way in the delivery of quality health services, performing a complicated operation or helping in the recovery of a patient.

Doctors

• Doctors can be at the top of a health care team or consult on specific tasks, assignments or operations. Equipped with advanced degrees, specialized training and relevant experience, they often perform a primary role in executing surgical/medical operations or advising the attending physicians.

Attending Physicians

• An attending physician or a staff doctor leads a health care team and has overall responsibility for the care or treatment of a particular patient. He examines, plans overall care, treatment and advises or consults the patient.

Nursing Professionals /Nurses

• Nurses or nursing professionals are vital cogs of any health care team, providing care and treatment to a patient. Registered nurses manage and provide general nursing care for patients. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are directly assigned to a particular patient and work under the supervision of registered nurses or generally assist the registered nurses.

Pharmacists

• Pharmacists fill prescriptions, prepare and dispense medications and other drugs in consultation with the attending physicians and nurses. They also provide general advice to patients about drugs reactions, food allergies and general information about medicines.

Dietitians

• Dietitians or nutritionists carry out a comprehensive assessment of a patient's nutritional needs and prepare a diet program to support the healing process or recovery program. They also advise on diets and nutritional intake for the immediate post-discharge or overall recovery period.

Mental Health Professionals and/or Therapists

• Depending on the nature of an illness or a treatment of a particular patient, a mental health professional or a therapist becomes part of the health care team. Mental health professionals gently and in a calibrated manner help patients and families cope with depression, stress and anxiety. Physical therapists step in to evaluate functional skills and treat physical and developmental problems of patients recovering from a cardiac arrest or open-heart surgery.