Teamwork in Rehabilitation

1. Teamwork in Rehabilitation • Mark Wren, MD, MPH • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation • Medical Director, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Texarkana • 3510 Richmond Rd Suite 400 • 903-831-6275

2. Sources • Murray Brandstater, MD, PhD • Randall Braddom, MD • Richard Senelick, MD

3. Team Members • Historically • Physiatrist • PT • OT • Speech • Psychologist • Rehab nurse • Respiratory Therapist • Recreation Therapist • Case Manager • Social Worker • Dietician

4. Commitment to Work Together

5. Commitment to Communicate

6. Commitment to Support each other

7. Teamwork in Rehab • Each patient belongs to every team member • Each professional on the team should accept equal ownership of the patient.

8. Every problem of the patient is a problem for every member of the team – • for example we should all address the issue of depression, that is not just for the SW or psychologist of for the MD to prescribe meds • Perhaps the patient may respond best to the encouragement and advice from his PT or OT whom he relates to well; Patient might respond to one team member BUT NOT another

9. We should not carve up the rehab intervention like a salami sausage: the hand for the OT, leg for the PT, bowel and bladder for the RN, behavior for psych, the nurse aide for transfers • For example, if the patient needs to void in the gym the OT can take him and we can all offer support and counsel

10. If team members disagree on a treatment intervention or goal, never let the patient know--First discuss it openly and sympathetically with your other team members, and never talk about each other badly behind their backs…

11. It is fun and professionally very rewarding to work in an effective team, but it takes work and commitment from everyone to make it really work