Multidisciplinary teams in hospital care: benefits and communication failures

¶ … working as a multidisciplinary team to perform the best care to hospital patients. In a hospital environment, professionals working as a multidisciplinary team can collaborate with each other that will in return benefit the patient and help deliver person-centered care more effectively. Working together as a multidisciplinary team is a necessary component in order to successfully give person-centered care to hospital patients. Martin (1997) stresses that no group can as an entity create ideas, only individuals can do this. However, a group is capable of stimulating one another into the creation of ideas. According to Stewart (2003), interdisciplinary teams are composed of two or more disciplines which, actively and continuously, participate in a process of communicating, planning and acting together towards mutually shared goal. According to Leathard (2000), other positive factors of working as a multidisciplinary team are; the efficient use of staff resources through collaboration with professionals, and a more satisfying work environment for staff.

One important tradeoff of functioning as a multidisciplinary team is collaboration. Collaboration allows for the unity of health and social care professionals to develop a collective understanding in the workforce. This in return requires effective communication and coordination which is all acquired within a multidisciplinary team. For a multidisciplinary team to be successful, each member should feel that they are an important asset to the group, their contributions should be recognized, and everyone should be on one accord with the goals that they want to achieve.

The following scenario details the benefits of functioning as a multidisciplinary team. Halm et al. (2003) talks about a trial that took place at a London hospital, which introduced a multidisciplinary approach to ward rounds. The team consisted of no more than ten members; this ensured that the patient's privacy and dignity was respected. The study was such a success that the surgical wards within the hospital adopted the system. The system has seen many benefits; an increase in patient involvement, a development of nurses and greater job satisfaction also an improvement in MDT relationships. Staff retention and absences have improved too.