Development and validation of the primary care team dynamics survey

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Team Science
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Effective team dynamics are crucial for high-quality primary care.
• Existing tools may not adequately capture the nuances of team interactions in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a survey instrument specifically designed to measure team dynamics in primary care.
• To provide a reliable and valid measure for assessing team functioning in ambulatory care settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was developed based on a conceptual model.
• The survey was administered to 1,080 healthcare professionals across 18 primary care practices.
• Structural equation modeling was used to assess reliability, validity, and model fit.

Main Results:

• A seven-factor model of team dynamics demonstrated adequate fit (goodness-of-fit index: 0.91).
• The survey exhibited good scale reliability (Cronbach's alphas: 0.71-0.91) and discriminant validity.
• Key factors associated with perceived team effectiveness included conditions for team effectiveness, shared understanding, and supportive processes.

Conclusions:

• A 29-item survey provides a reliable method for measuring primary care team dynamics.
• The validated survey can be utilized in ambulatory settings to study teamwork and evaluate interventions.
• Future research should explore the relationship between team dynamics and outcomes like work satisfaction, care quality, and clinical results.