The Hospital Harmony program improves interdisciplinary healthcare team functioning and communication

Abstract

Ojective Hospital wards, staffed by a multidisciplinary team, are complex environments where teamwork, communication and psychological safety are essential for coordinated care delivery, yet are faced with challenges such as staffing changes and complex care needs. There is little literature on interventions to assist staff to connect as a team. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the Hospital Harmony program on team communication, psychological safety and overall team functioning in a multidisciplinary hospital ward. Methods The study was conducted at a major metropolitan academic health service involving a multidisciplinary general medicine team including nursing, medicine and allied health. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups, to evaluate Hospital Harmony, a 6-week brief daily group-based program designed to improve team function and mindfulness within the team. For our quantitative component, we used a questionnaire based on measures of team functioning: meeting effectiveness, psychological safety and individual focus. We used linear mixed models to assess the changes in each domain over time. A focus group was undertaken to obtain qualitative data that were thematically analysed. Results Fifty-one unique participants from the multidisciplinary team completed the survey (mean age of 33.5years (s.d. 11.0) and 72% female). Following commencement of the program, there was a significant increase in the team's perception of the meeting's effectiveness (P =0.004), team morale (P <0.0001), focus (P <0.0001) and psychological safety (P =0.014). The focus group identified four broad themes of relationship building, improved psychological safety, the impact of the program on the team's behaviour and mindful self-reflections. Conclusion We found that the Hospital Harmony program improved the multidisciplinary healthcare team by facilitating better communication, improving relationships and promoting psychological safety.