The healthcare sector is an environment that requires teamwork, establishment, and enhancement of cooperation. The personnel is mostly professionals of various educational level and training. The challenge of working as teams exist and measures to overcome the challenges are part of the concerns of healthcare providers, investors, and patients. When health professionals engage in inter-professional decision-making and communication to improve collaboration based on their expertise and knowledge for the improvement of patient care, they are involved in collaborative practice (Prescott & Bowen, 1985). Teamwork is an essential organizational asset for both employers and employees. In the healthcare industry, patients consider teamwork a foundational principle for quality and efficiency. When patients visit a health facility, they expect and assume that teamwork exists. The professional responsibilities of each member coalesce with others to produce efficient teams.
True collaboration is demonstrated in teamwork. The concept of patient-centered health care reinforces the need to create a working environment that will foster collaboration, which will lead to the satisfaction of patients. People who have responsibilities that align with their knowledge and skill set form a team, with a leader who ensures the goals of the team are met. In the area of healthcare, collaboration is a process where professionals work, relate together with the purpose of rendering quality healthcare to patients (D’Amour, et al., 2005). Working as a team is the result of a conscious decision by each member of the group to support and pursues common objectives. In teamwork, personal autonomy is sacrificed mostly for the benefit of the team. There is a gradation of collaboration according to the complexity of the setting and patient’s condition. Active and productive teamwork infrequently take place without collaboration (Oandasan et al. 2006).
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Patients Benefits
The patient is the primary beneficiary of effective collaboration. Through patient-centered care, the collaboration will lead to improved quality of patient care, patient safety, and increased focus on patients. The collaboration will enhance patient participation and influence in providers and organizational decision-making. Also, it will reduce patient morbidity (Borill, West, Shapiro, & Rees, 2000). Furthermore, the collaboration will improve patient communication with healthcare providers.
Organizational Benefits
The effective use of resources is one of the advantages of collaboration that healthcare teams provide to organizations. Another is high patient satisfaction level because of the quality delivery of services. Organizations gain unique response processes and feedback when professional work as teams. Effective collaboration increases coordination internally. Besides, it improves operations and implementation of communication protocols and organization training model. Finally, sustainability and profitability are ensured through productive teamwork.
Team Members’ Benefits
Healthcare teams, when bolstered by inter-professional collaboration increases the benefits to members, investors, and consumers. Members gain from collaboration by eliminating the communication and professional information gaps. The burden of excessive workload reduces, preventing burnouts. Work-based conflicts are easily resolved through effective collaboration. Efficiency and competence are created when individuals work collaboratively. Collaboration also creates environments for professional development.
Characteristics of Effective Teams
The characteristics of effective interdisciplinary collaboration include the ability to adapt to changes, solve internal and external conflicts. Such collaboration possesses positive mindsets and develops trust for one another. They can see areas of personal improvement and organizational growth with support for each other. They perceive and understand accountability as a collective responsibility. The teams have clear operational procedures and protocols. There are no information and communication gaps. Also, they have an appreciation of the professional and individual contributions. These characteristics produce competent, cohesive, and stable teams in the healthcare sector.
Barriers
Policies and system issues act as obstacles to collaboration. Professional territorial protection among health workers is another barrier. Each level of professionals appears to protect their area. Professional self-regulation and malpractice laws have hindered collaborative efforts, individuals suffering penalties, not as part of a team. There are remuneration and funding disparities among health care providers. In most instances, there is lack of quality leadership at all levels hampering implementation efforts across all healthcare settings. Another barrier is regulations regarding scope of practice and the requirements for entry to professional practice. The fragmentation and hierarchical structure of health care pose as barriers (Prescott & Bowen, 1985). The fee-for-service model hinders collaboration as well. Lack of information and education of professionals on collaborative models affects implementation.
Evidence-Based Strategies
Education and training models of healthcare professionals on the need to work collaboratively are critical to changing workplace behaviors. Organizational leaders need to develop tools and resources that promote collaborative practices. Policies and regulations should be directed to addressing existing professional legislations regarding the scope of practice and licensures. Competencies and skills for teamwork need to be developed for healthcare professionals (Oandasan et al. 2006). Government policies should be consistent and predictive to promote collaboration. The funding and remuneration structure needs to be reformed to encourage teamwork. Inter-professional education is important in improving collaboration. The relationship between individual goals and collaboration should be highlighted and increased through workplace opportunities. Collaborative researched models that have proved useful should be applied in healthcare settings. The industry payment system should be reformed and regularized to encourage teamwork and collaboration.
Thus, teamwork and collaboration enhance productivity, competence, and sustainability. Healthcare organizations, managements, providers, investors, and patients will benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration. Barriers exist that can be resolved through policies and regulations. Patients will take advantage of patient-centered care that arises from collaboration. Quality care, patient safety, and reduction in morbidity are among patients benefits. Healthcare professionals will gain from teamwork by reducing workload and improving their productivity. The organizations will gain from collaboration because the patients will be satisfied and there will be profit, efficiency, and sustainability.
References
Borrill, C., West, M. A., Shapiro, D., & Rees, A. (2000). Team working and effectiveness in health care. British Journal of Health Care, 6 (8), 364-371.
D’Amour, D., Ferrada-Videla, M., San Martin-Rodriguez, L., & Beaulieu, M. D. (2005). The conceptual basis for interprofessional collaboration: Core concepts and theoretical frameworks. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19 (Supplement 1), 116-131.
Oandasan, I., Baker, G.R., Barker, K., Bosco, C., D'Amour, D., Jones, L., Kimpton, S., Lemieux-Charles, L., Naismith, L. L. San Martin Rodriguez, Tepper, J., & D. Way. (2006). Teamwork in Healthcare: Promoting Effective Teamwork in Healthcare in Canada. Ottawa: Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.
