Creating common ground: developing interdisciplinary teams for substance abuse personnel

Abstract

In an era of shrinking resources, priority setting has become increasingly important. Biomedical and psychosocial advances are fostering new innovations. In this climate of seemingly limitless possibilities, the challenge for health professionals is to respond effectively and cost-efficiently to a multi-problem patient population. The need for professionals to work in concert is imperative if we, as a profession, are to provide optimal care in a rapidly changing health care system. Most of us have been introduced to the team approach by circumstance rather than by formal training. The tendency is, therefore, to learn entirely by experience, rather than profiting from accumulated knowledge or principle. The Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England took a more sophisticated approach which involved the development of a formal curriculum that included academic and experimental components. The essential components of effective teams are presented, with an emphasis on team building strategies and approaches.