CHEST 2023 Leadership Development Course-“How I Do It”

“How I Do It” - Building Teams in Health Care

Pdf Summary

The article "How I Do It: Building Teams in Health Care" by James K. Stoller, MD, emphasizes the critical importance of effective team-building in healthcare for achieving superior clinical outcomes. It highlights that teamwork is not adequately covered in medical curricula, leaving healthcare professionals to learn through experience or "hidden curricula." The approach detailed is particularly applicable to scenarios like picking up the inpatient Pulmonary Consult Service, where doctors meet new teams of trainees and students.<br /><br />The piece outlines several key elements of effective teams, including having a clear purpose, psychological safety, active participation, effective listening, and shared leadership. It underscores the importance of initial team meetings to set the culture, clarify roles and responsibilities, and charter on goals. Dr. Stoller provides a detailed example of how to conduct these initial meetings, emphasizing punctuality, mutual respect, and appreciating each team member’s background and aspirations.<br /><br />Dr. Stoller also advocates for appreciative inquiry over deficit-based thinking, suggesting that focusing on strengths and opportunities can unleash human potential better than highlighting problems. He further shares best practices for sustaining effective teamwork, such as ongoing alignment of goals, maintaining psychological safety, and continuous self-assessment.<br /><br />The article discusses team sizes, suggesting smaller teams are more effective for engagement and contribution. It also explores the life cycle of teams, including stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning, to help anticipate and navigate team dynamics.<br /><br />The piece concludes with a review of evidence showing the positive impact of effective teamwork on clinical outcomes across various healthcare settings, reinforcing the necessity for structured and intentional team-building practices in health care to achieve the best possible patient outcomes.<br /><br />Dr. Stoller’s insights provide valuable guidance for forming and leading teams in healthcare, ensuring that all members are aligned, involved, and valued, ultimately improving both team performance and patient care.

Keywords

healthcare

team-building

clinical outcomes

medical curricula

psychological safety

shared leadership

appreciative inquiry

team dynamics

effective teamwork

patient care