Team-based care really can make a difference, according to a recent study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes and featured by Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan Health System News.
Researchers from U-M's medical school found better outcomes for patients who underwent heart bypass surgery were associated with teams of physicians who had more experience working together. In fact, heath systems with 25 percent more teamwork also had 17 fewer hospital readmissions per 1,000 patients, according to U-M Health System's blog.
To determine this, researchers mapped the relationships of more than 460,000 physicians who treated more than 250,000 coronary artery bypass graft patients throughout their surgical episode. These networks were given coefficients that measured the level of teamwork. The research team then compared the relationship between a health system's levels of teamwork and its 60-day surgical outcomes, based on Medicare data. When controlling for sociocultural factors, health system staff size and caseload, the researchers found physician teams with stronger social ties were associated with lower readmission rates, emergency department visits and morbidity.
The researchers plan to continue their research in other medical conditions and with other providers on the care team, such as nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, according to the U-M Health System blog.
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