The Role of Coordination in Preventing Harm in Healthcare Groups: Research Examples from Anaesthesia and an Integrated Model of Coordination for Action Teams in Health Care

Abstract

In this chapter we discuss the role of group coordination as a means of preventing iatrogenic harm in health care using anaesthesia teams as our forum of research. Applying the inclusive model of group coordination in Chap. 2 (see Fig. 2.5), we outline that (1) clinical performance and patient safety are functions of group coordination, (2) information and actions are key input entities of group coordination, (3) adaptation to situational demands serves as a critical coordination process, and (4) explicit and implicit coordination are essential coordination mechanisms. We will present recent findings regarding the role of each of these concepts for teamwork in health care. Combining theoretical considerations and empirical results, we will offer an integrated model of coordination for action teams in health care. The core idea of this model is that coordination can be classified along two independent dimensions (1) mechanisms such as explicit vs. implicit coordination, and (2) input entities such as behaviours (e.g. actions) and meanings (e.g. information). We suggest that the usefulness of team coordination should hence be considered with regard to this distinction.