Leadership and restructured roles: the evolving inpatient treatment team

The author discusses the impact on unit leadership of the dramatic changes in contemporary inpatient treatment. In addition to substantial changes in the role of the unit chief, there are concomitant changes in the relationship between the organizers and the providers of care. The author proposes a model for hospital care that reshapes and empowers the multidisciplinary team to maintain the quality of care and narrow the gap between leaders and clinicians.