Team FIRST framework: Identifying core teamwork competencies critical to interprofessional healthcare curricula

Philip E Greilich; Molly Kilcullen; Shannon Paquette; Elizabeth H Lazzara; Shannon Scielzo; Jessica Hernandez; Richard Preble; Meghan Michael; Mozhdeh Sadighi; Scott Tannenbaum; Eleanor Phelps; Kimberly Hoggatt Krumwiede; Dorothy Sendelbach; Robert Rege; Eduardo Salas

doi:10.1017/cts.2023.27

Team FIRST framework: Identifying core teamwork competencies critical to interprofessional healthcare curricula

J Clin Transl Sci. 2023 Mar 8;7(1):e106. doi: 10.1017/cts.2023.27. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, Health System Chief Quality Office, Dallas, TX, USA.
² Rice University, Department of Psychological Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
³ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁴ Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Daytona Beach, FL, USA.
⁵ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁶ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁷ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁸ The Group for Organizational Effectiveness, Inc., Albany, NY, USA.
⁹ Office of Quality, Safety and Outcomes Education, Dallas, TX, USA.
¹⁰ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, School of Health Professions, Dallas, TX, USA.
¹¹ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, Dallas, TX, USA.
¹² UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, Dallas, TX, USA.

Abstract

Interprofessional healthcare team function is critical to the effective delivery of patient care. Team members must possess teamwork competencies, as team function impacts patient, staff, team, and healthcare organizational outcomes. There is evidence that team training is beneficial; however, consensus on the optimal training content, methods, and evaluation is lacking. This manuscript will focus on training content. Team science and training research indicates that an effective team training program must be founded upon teamwork competencies. The Team FIRST framework asserts there are 10 teamwork competencies essential for healthcare providers: recognizing criticality of teamwork, creating a psychologically safe environment, structured communication, closed-loop communication, asking clarifying questions, sharing unique information, optimizing team mental models, mutual trust, mutual performance monitoring, and reflection/debriefing. The Team FIRST framework was conceptualized to instill these evidence-based teamwork competencies in healthcare professionals to improve interprofessional collaboration. This framework is founded in validated team science research and serves future efforts to develop and pilot educational strategies that educate healthcare workers on these competencies.

Keywords: Teamwork competency; communication; curriculum; interprofessional; medical education.