P h i lli p G. Cla r kRh od e Isla nd Ger iat ric E du ca t ion Cen t er, U n iver sity of Rh ode Islan d, Kin gst on , Rh ode Isla n d, U SA
Ma r ie M. Lei n h a a sRh od e Isla nd Ger iat ric E du ca t ion Cen t er, U n iver sity of Rh ode Islan d, Kin gst on , Rh ode Isla n d, U SA
Ra c h el Fi lin s onRh ode Isla n d College, P roviden ce, Rh ode Isla n d, U SA The training of clinicians in working together as an interdisciplinary team has received growing support in geriatrics. Most teamwork training programs have focused on group process and development as the core competencies of team practice necessar y to improve levels of team functioning. The experience of the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center (RIGEC) in developing and implementing an ongoing teamwork training program, including the training of severa l geriatric teams from a variety of health care settings, sugges ts that additional objectives should include the empowerment of teams for advocacy in rapidly changing health care settings increasingly shaped by economic forces. The lessons An ea r lier version of t h is a rt icle wa s pr esen t ed a s a pa per in a Sym posiu m on ''In terdisciplina ry Ger iat r ic E du ca t ion in Hea lt h Ca re P r ofession s: Develop m en t , Implem en t a t ion , a n d E va lu a t ion of New P r ogr a m s'' a t t h e 52n d An n u a l Scien t i c Meeting of t h e Ger on t ologica l Society of Am er ica , Sa n F r a n cisco, CA, Novem ber [19][20][21][22][23] 1999 . This wor k wa s su ppor t ed by gr a n t No. 5 D31 H P 70073 fr om t h e Bu rea u of H ea lt h P r ofession s, H ea lt h Resou r ces a n d Ser vices Adm inist r a tion , U.S. Depa rt m en t of H ea lt h a n d Hu m a n Ser vices.Address cor r es pon den ce t o P h illip G. Cla r k , Un iver sit y of Rh ode Isla n d, P r ogr a m in Ger on t ology, Kin gst on , RI 02881 . E -m a il: a gin g@ur i.edu E du ca t ion a l Ger on t ology, 28: 491-510, 2002 Copyr igh t # 2002 Bru n n er -Rou t ledge learned by RIGEC for the development and implementation of teamwork training include the importance of de ning team membership, dealing with the shifting shoals of the health care system, understanding individuals and systems under stress, and rede ning the objectives of teamwork training.Ca lls for increa sed in t er disciplin a r y colla bor a t ion or t eam wor k a m on g h ea lth ca r e pr ovider s a r e being m a de wit h gr owin g fr equ en cy a n d visibilit y by a n u m ber of n a t ion a l or ga n iza t ion s. F or exam ple, t h e J oin t Com m ission on t h e Accr edita t ion of H ea lt h Ca r e Or ga n iza t ion s (J CAH O) n ow r equ ires eviden ce of in t er disciplin a r y colla bor a t ion in h ospita ls, n u r sin g h om es, a n d clin ics a s par t of its a ccr edit a t ion pr ocess. Th e N a t ion a l Com m itt ee for Qu a lit y Assu r a n ce St a n da r ds for Accr editin g H ea lth P la n s a n d beh a vior al h ea lth m a n a ged ca r e or gan iza t ion s r equ ir es coor dina t ion of ca r e bet ween pr im a r y ca r e ph ysician s a n d beh ...