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ately to patient needs. Care team stations are organized
to facilitate collaboration by providing flexible meeting
space. Support services such as vital sign stations, soiled
holding, clean supplies, and medications are positioned to
be conveniently accessed by the care team. The pods are
connected by an “off-stage” corridor that facilitates staff
circulation. The exam rooms are highly flexible spaces
that support collaboration between provider and patient
by providing sufficient room for family and staff to con-
sult on the best course of treatment.
Understanding that increased staff satisfaction produc-
es better patient outcomes, architects need to remember
the needs of the care team when designing staff areas. De-
signing work and break areas with ample natural light,
open floor plans, high ceilings, quiet acoustics and at-
tention to the need for some retreat from patients when
needed enhances staff satisfaction.
One of the most rewarding design tasks is the creation
of a one-stop facility that can deliver multiple health care
services and prescription pickup. When the visit is com-
plete the guest simply leaves the facility without the need
to visit additional providers. Welcoming, easily navigated,
one-stop facilities help the team-based health care model
to provide excellent long-term results. \\
ELEMENTS Health Care
• Shared Goals: The team, including the patient and
family members, works to establish shared goals that
reflect patient and family priorities which can be
clearly articulated, understood and supported by all
team members.
• Clear Roles: There are clear expectations for each
team member’s functions, responsibilities and ac-
countabilities. This optimizes the team’s efficiency and
often makes it possible for the team to take advantage
of division of labor.
• Mutual Trust: Team members earn each other’s trust,
creating strong norms of reciprocity and greater op-
portunities for shared achievement.
• Effective Communications: The team prioritizes and
continuously refines its communication skills. It has
consistent channels for candid and complete com-
munication, which are accessed and used by all team
members across all settings.
• Measurable Processes and Outcomes: The team agrees
on and implements reliable and timely feedback on
successes and failures in both the functioning of the
team and achievement of the team’s goals. These are
used to track and improve performance immediately
and over time.
Principles of Team-based Health Care
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Building
Relationships