Do team processes really have an effect on clinical performance? A systematic literature review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Clinical Performance Improvement

Background:

• Growing body of research links team processes to clinical performance.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for enhancing healthcare quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize literature on the impact of team process behaviors on clinical performance.
• To examine the effectiveness of team process interventions in improving clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a comprehensive literature search across five major databases (Jan 2001-May 2012).
• Included 28 peer-reviewed studies, assessing study quality and calculating effect sizes.
• Seven studies focused on team process interventions.

Main Results:

• All included studies reported significant relationships between team processes/interventions and clinical performance.
• Most effect sizes were medium to large, indicating a substantial impact.
• Study quality ranged from medium to high, with diverse methodologies and team behaviors investigated.

Conclusions:

• Team process behaviors demonstrably influence clinical performance.
• Training interventions aimed at improving teamwork and coordination enhance performance.
• Future research should utilize established theoretical frameworks and validated methods for assessing team processes and linking them to clinical outcomes.