title: A multidisciplinary teamwork training program: the Triad for Optimal Patient Safety (TOPS) experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Communication and teamwork failures are a common cause of adverse events. Residency programs, with a mandate to teach systems-based practice, are particularly challenged to address these important skills.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a multidisciplinary teamwork training program focused on teaching teamwork behaviors and communication skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internal medicine residents, hospitalists, nurses, pharmacists, and all other staff on a designated inpatient medical unit at an academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a 4-h teamwork training program as part of the Triad for Optimal Patient Safety (TOPS) project. Teaching strategies combined didactic presentation, facilitated discussion using a safety trigger video, and small-group scenario-based exercises to practice effective communication skills and team behaviors. Development, planning, implementation, delivery, and evaluation of TOPS Training was conducted by a multidisciplinary team.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received 203 evaluations with a mean overall rating for the training of 4.49 +/- 0.79 on a 1-5 scale. Participants rated the multidisciplinary educational setting highly at 4.59 +/- 0.68.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We developed a multidisciplinary teamwork training program that was highly rated by all participating disciplines. The key was creating a shared forum to learn about and discuss interdisciplinary communication and teamwork.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. nirajs@medicine.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Niraj L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Sehgal
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Arpana R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Vidyarthi
authors.forename: Bradley A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gearhart
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bookwalter
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Alldredge
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blegen
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wachter
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards*; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000592:standards; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D005791:Patient Care / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards*; D012449:Safety / Q000592:standards