Teamwork for innovation in pharmacy practice: from traditional to flexible teams

Abstract

In response to the increasingly complex demands of contemporary clinical practice, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals organise themselves in classical and flexible teams with the aim of combining their knowledge and skills, thereby creating additional value that would not be possible without teamwork. In addition to the diversity of team members’ skills, sexes, ages and ethnic backgrounds, cognitive diversity is vital for team success, as teams with cognitive diversity outperform those without it. When fully empowered, team members have the information, skills and authority to make decisions and create new opportunities. The selection of leaders for successful teamwork in the pharmacy profession is essential, as the dominant developmental level and mindset of leaders influences interpersonal relationships, communication, collaboration and trust among team members. Pharmacy leaders who can create psychologically safe environments and engage their team members with a shared purpose can use teamwork to improve patient outcomes and employee well-being.