The current healthcare environment is rich in its diversity of specialties. In fact, health care has become so complex and information so vast that it is almost imperative to “collaborate to survive” (*Mitchell, Crittenden 2000). Depending on the
medical condition, interdisciplinary teams bring together a variety of health professionals including physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, and social workers among others (*American Geriatrics Society).

Interdisciplinary teams work effectively in a variety of health care settings including:

• Primary Care
• Geriatrics and end-of-life care
• Rural Health
• Underserved communities
• Management of cronic conditions
• Emergency departure teams

In any of these environments, successful healthcare practice depends on having positive, problem-solving teams and mechanisms for handling interpersonal interactions effectively. Interdisciplinary teams work best when the roles and responsibilities of each member are clear --- especially when there is an overlap in skills, such as primary care. In addition to your clinical team, you may also have to interact with other entities that affect your practice, such as a Board of Directors or the administration of a health care facility. Any of these teams can benefit from team building efforts.

Explore the team development cycle to learn about working as an effective team.