American Medical Association adopts new guidance furthering patient care collaboration
Physicians should be models of leadership, articulate individual responsibilities, encourage insights from other team members, AMA says.
The American Medical Association has adopted ethical guidance for physicians as leader-members of care teams, citing a trend of healthcare professionals collaborating on patient care. Team-based healthcare models have emerged as the preferred method for providing coordinated and cost-effective care, according to the AMA.
Healthcare teams involve physicians, nurses, social workers and other professionals -- all of whom play various clinical and administrative roles in the care of a single patient -- at one or several sites of care.
Among the AMA's recommendations is that physicians should be models of leadership, in part by understanding the range and limitations of their own skills and expertise, as well as those of their team members. They should clearly articulate each individual's responsibilities and accountability, encourage insights from other team members, and be open to adopting them.
[Also: American Medical Association adopts policies aimed at reversing opioid epidemic]
Physicians should also promote team values such as honesty, discipline, creativity, humility and curiosity, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement, the group said.
Other recommendations include: helping to clarify expectations; encouraging the open discussion of ethical and clinical concerns; communicating with the patient and their family, and respecting their role as members of the team; and advocating for the resources and support necessary to deliver care.
According to the AMA's new ethical guidance, teams are defined by their dedication to providing patient-centered care, protecting the integrity of the patient-physician relationship, sharing mutual respect and trust, communicating effectively, sharing accountability and responsibility, and upholding common ethical values as team members.
[Also: Study: More collaboration aids health care for at-risk populations]
The collaborative care guidance will be added to the AMA's Code of Medical Ethics.
The AMA maintains that by virtue of their diverse training and knowledge, physicians have a distinct appreciation of a wide swath of health issues and treatment options. This, the group said, enables them to integrate the diverse professional perspectives and recommendations of the team into an appropriate, coherent plan of care for the patient.
Twitter: @JELagasse
