Attitudes toward quality, costs, and physician centrality in healthcare teams

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine if there were differences among disciplines in their attitudes toward healthcare teams concerning the quality of care, the costs of care and the centrality of the physician to the functioning of teams. The Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams scale was administered to a sample of nurses, physicians, social workers, and pharmacists in a large teaching hospital. There were 200 completed surveys with an overall return rate of 64.7%. Analysis of Variance and Tukey Honestly Significant Difference statistical tests were applied in analyzing the data. The following results were obtained: (1) Although all disciplines were favorable, physicians were less favorable than the other groups toward the quality of care afforded by teams (p<0.01). (2) Although all disciplines were favorable, physicians were less favorable than the other groups toward the costs of care afforded by teams (p < 0.01). (3) Physicians and pharmacists were positive about the centrality of the physician to the functioning of teams but nurses and social workers were negative (p < 0.05). Conclusions and implications for practice, policy development, and research are discussed.

Key Words:

• Health
• teams
• collaboration
• interdisciplinary
• attitudes