Structural characteristics, process, and effectiveness of cross-functional teams in hospitals: Testing the I–P–O model

Abstract

Hospitals are served by a variety of different specialists and technicians, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians, radiologists, etc. To provide good healthcare services, teamwork among this workforce is of great importance, and the management of cross-functional teams consisting of specialists and technicians is a significant issue. This study, based on McGrath's Input–Process–Output team theoretical model, explores some essential variables of teams in hospitals, including team structural characteristics, team process, and team effectiveness. Using 109 valid questionnaires samples from 20 hospitals in Taiwan, we explored these three main variables. First, we examined team structural characteristics, in terms of team size, diversity, norms, and cohesion. Second, we divided team process into two factors: members' cooperation and bottom–up communication. Finally, we measured team effectiveness in terms of performance and satisfaction. We found that (1) for team structural characteristics, only team norms affect team effectiveness; (2) team process affects team effectiveness; (3) team norms and team cohesion affect team process; and (4) team process fully mediates between team structural characteristics and satisfaction and mediates partially between team structural characteristics and performance.