Assess Unit-Based Care Teams and the Regularity and caliber of communications between physicians and other medical teams

Abstract

Background: Ineffective communication between healthcare providers, particularly between physicians and other medical teams, is a significant contributor to medical errors and adverse patient outcomes. Prior research has suggested that factors such as mutual understanding, openness, and proximity can enhance communication and, in turn, improve patient safety. This study examines whether the introduction of unit-based care teams in pediatric medical wards can impact the frequency and quality of communication between physicians and other medical teams. Methods: A prospective intervention study was conducted ,two resident teams were reorganized to operate within specific inpatient units. Data were collected from 60 residents and 154 Other medical teams using communication logs, with a focus on direct interactions, timeliness, and perceived quality of responses. Paging records were also analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using generalized estimating equations to assess differences across the phases.Results: The intervention led to significant improvements in communication patterns. Residents showed increased awareness of their primary other medical teams (P = .05), with more frequent in-person contact (P = .01). Other medical teams also reported improved knowledge of their assigned interns and increased in-person communication with them (P < .001). Residents’ perceptions of timely responses from other medical teams significantly improved (P = .009). Paging records revealed a 42.1% reduction in the mean number of daily pages received by residents (P < .001). Despite these improvements, there was no significant change in the time spent discussing patient conditions.Conclusion: Reorganizing care teams into unit-based models enhanced the frequency and quality of communication between other medical teams and resident physicians, leading to improved perceptions of responsiveness and a reduction in the use of paging systems. These changes suggest that proximity and structure in team organization can foster better communication dynamics, potentially improving patient care and safety. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of such interventions on patient outcomes.