Developing Health Care Teams: A Report by the Academic Health Center Task Force on Interdisciplinary Health Team Development

Abstract

As today's health care delivery system evolves, all levels of professionals are learning that a "team" approach is both efficient and effective for providing quality patient care. However, while new graduates may learn to work as a team after entering the job market, little is currently done to provide students with the skills necessary for interdisciplinary team work during the educational process. The Academic Health Center's Team Development Task Force was created to respond to the need for a well-articulated approach to interdisciplinary health sciences education. The Task Force, made up of leaders from selected health care disciplines already experimenting with team approaches to health care, undertook this challenge at the request of the Provost for the Academic Health Center of the University of Minnesota. At the beginning of the project, the Task Force was asked 10 accomplish the following goals: 1. Define the concept of the "health care team." 2. Develop a vision for team-based health care. 3. Describe the educational resources and processes necessary to support health team development.