Communication in health care teams

Abstract

Anessentialcharacteristicofhealthcarefacilities is teamwork, and this implies an organizational philosophywherecollectivetalent,withcommon goals in clearly identified directions, allows to obtain better results. Communication is at the core of this model, understood as an interaction process, not just an activity aimed at conveying information. Medical errors and conflict in the institutionalsettingareusuallycausedbyfailures in effective communication. Like in other areas ofhealth,communicationalaspectsofteamwork advance with learning. The acquisition of such competences, the development of active listening, and an interaction among disciplines favor professional training and patient safety. Actually, together with other factors, these aspectsnecessaryforcommunicationunderscore the quality of health care.