Managing a healthcare team while on a locum tenens assignment can be a challenge. You may be new to the organization. You’re not familiar with your staff or their skill level. Furthermore, the patient population and community demographics can make your practice even more demanding.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” Henry Ford
It’s always best to employ patient centered teamwork and communicate this with your team so that everyone is aware of what the common goal is. An effective teamwork can immediately and positively affect patient safety and outcome. The need for effective teams is increasing due to increasing co-morbidities and increasing complexity of specialization of care.
Team-based health care is the provision of health services to individuals, families, and/or their communities by at least two health providers who work collaboratively with patients and their caregivers—to the extent preferred by each patient – to accomplish shared goals within and across settings to achieve coordinated, high-quality care.
Organizations Core Values And Mission Statement
When you’re working a new locums gig, it’s best to educate yourself on the organizations core values and mission statement. Some clinics may have you go through an orientation process where the facilities mission statement will be discussed. In order for you to succeed and be in alignment with the organization, it’s best to incorporate these values into your daily practice.
Know Who Is Playing On Your Team
The players on your patient centered team can vary from clinic to clinic. Knowing who will be working with you and what their skillset is, will be the key to efficient patient care. Medical assistants, mental health care workers or social workers, lab services, front office staff, child life specialists, IT, security, custodial and cleaning staff are some examples of who can be playing on your team.
Some Important Questions To Ask About Your Patient Centered Team Are:
Will you be working with one medical assistant or two? Do they speak multiple languages? Are they also phlebotomists, or will you have to send patients to the lab for blood draws? It’s important to know what skills your medical assistants and what their scope of practice is in their clinic. You may have complete patient tasks that they are not permitted to do by their clinic. Mental health care workers or social workers, lab services, front office staff, child life specialists,
Fostering Patient Centered Team Dynamics
Healthcare Team dynamics are those psychological forces influencing the direction of your team’s performance and behavior. Those dynamics are created by the personalities involved and how they interact. Understanding a team’s dynamics can alert you to how successful it might be.
A healthcare team with positive group dynamics tend to have team members who trust each other. They work towards a collective decision and are held responsible for their actions. A team with good group dynamics may be constructive and productive, and it may demonstrate mutual understanding and self-corrective behavior.
Communication Is Key To A Cohesive And Successful Team
Encourage open discussions, enhancing a team culture and enthusiasm will help you to have a better day. Addressing any problems that may occur quickly as well as keeping team members alerted to any changes can avoid miscommunication. Always remember to speak to team members directly and invite them to reflect on their behavior is also a good practice to employ.
Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs
To contact MedCare Staffing call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here!
