Grumbach and Bodenheimer

Background: “A team is a group with a specific task or tasks, the accomplishment of which requires the interdependent and collaborative efforts of its members” (Wise, Beckhard, Rubin, & Kyte, 1974, p. 73). Grumbach and Bodenheimer (2004, p. 1249) identified five key elements of team building and explained that a cohesive, organized team must have “clear goals with measurable outcomes, clinical and administrative systems, training, communication, and the division of labor.” Teamwork brings together diverse knowledge and skills and can result in professional collaboration and cost-effective quality service. Evidence shows that a team approach enhances patient care, but working on an interdisciplinary health care team can be challenging. For example, a member may be threatened by the notion of giving up some of his or her professional autonomy to the group effort, or there may be a lack of confidence and trust in the opinions and decisions of individuals from other disciplines. It requires skill and flexibility to coordinate and collaborate with multiple professionals who possess different backgrounds and areas of expertise toward a common goal: improving the delivery of services to patients. There has been much discussion about the type of effective interventions for promoting well-being and improving health outcomes for all Americans, especially for minority groups. Medical social workers excel at providing direct services to individual patients. Given current efforts to shift the paradigm to population-centered interventions, social workers must modify their skills, broaden their perspective, and consider evidence-based interventions. Scholarly sources