Table 1 Team-Building Interventions for Non-Acute Settings (Alphabetically by First Author)

TeamSTEPPS

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2006 [32]

Jointly developed by AHRQ and the Department of Defense, the TeamSTEPPS course consists of a series of modules focusing on team structure, communication, leadership, situation monitoring, mutual support, and other relevant topics. Phase 1 of the traditional TeamSTEPPS curriculum includes a comprehensive needs analysis for participating teams. It was originally developed for crisis or surgical teams, but more recent versions target office-based and long-term care. All modules are available online through the AHRQ website [32]. Also note that Lifewings offers TeamSTEPPS certification programs [60].

One two-part study featuring the long-term care version [55, 63], and five additional studies featuring adaptations of the traditional TeamSTEPPS curriculum for similar outpatient/ambulatory settings [33,34,35, 46, 54]

CONNECT

Anderson et al., 2012 [64]

“CONNECT is a multi-component intervention that helps staff: learn new strategies to improve day-to-day interactions; establish relationship networks for creative problem solving; and sustain newly acquired interaction behaviors through mentorship” ([64], page 2). It relies on a series of learning sessions and activities conducted in nursing homes over 12 weeks, with an ultimate goal of reducing the incidence of patient falls through improved problem-solving and interaction patterns.

One published study [40], with a larger trial currently underway in 24 facilities

The Arthritis Program - Interprofessional Training Program (TAP-ITP)

Bain, 2014 [53]

TAP-ITP is meant to improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes around interprofessional care. It includes four individual modules that can be delivered in a classroom setting or blended setting (classroom plus online). Support includes learning resources, blogs, discussion boards, and learning portfolios, and it emphasizes an Action-Based Research perspective (with trainees expected to spend time collaborating with one another between modules).

One study [53]

Teams of Interprofessional Staff (TIPS)

Bajnok et al., 2012 [47]

The TIPS training consists of three, 2-day training workshops conducted over 8 months. These workshops include didactics on topics such as developing team culture; conflict resolution; and having difficult conversations. Workshops also involve application of team development strategies, as well as assignment of a mentor/advisor to each team to assist with selection and pursuit of shared team goals.

One study [47]

Team training programme (no formal title provided)

Bunnell et al., 2013 [31]

This program was designed to improve team functioning for outpatient oncology teams using a train-the-trainer model. The 2-hour training session includes general presentation of teamwork principles and supporting evidence, as well as specific interventions related to building teamwork in outpatient oncology settings.

One study [31]

Team training (no formal name provided)

Cashman et al., 2004 [44]

Team training consists of five formal team training workshops conducted over 2-year period, with concurrent increase in regular team meeting times (from 1 h every 4 weeks, to 3 h every 4 weeks). Training topics include stages of group development; personality and work styles; general team-building issues (e.g. related to staffing and turnover); problem-solving; and leadership. Simulations were used to illustrate group processes, and SYMLOG assessment [65] was used to guide discussion.

One study [44]

“3-M” Team Training

Cooley, 1994 [39]

Team training conducted at three workshops (2 h each), conducted 3–4 weeks apart. Workshops included presentations of teamwork concepts, modeling, written practice, role-playing, and analysis of videotaped team meetings. The “3-M” label denotes an organizing framework for the training in “Mapping” skills (to enhance productivity of team meetings); “Mirroring” skills (to enhance communication); and “Mining and refining” skills (to enhance problem-solving capability).

One study [39]

Resource for Education, Audit, and Teamworking (CREATE)

Haycock-Stuart & Houston, 2005 [41]

Team training consists of a series of nine workshops conducted over a 1-year period, oriented around improving primary care teamwork in Scotland. Workshop topics were determined by needs assessment, and included both teamwork-oriented (e.g. communication and planning) and administratively-focused topics (e.g. accreditation issues, appraisal systems, and service redesign).

One study [41]

Expanded Learning and Dedication to Elders in the Region (ELDER)

Lange et al., 2011 [42]

The ELDER project was adapted from the Hartford Foundation’s work [66], and features small-group interactive workshops oriented around interdisciplinary teamworking in the care of older patients. The 3-year project featured approximately 12 educational sessions to be presented to nursing staff in Year 1, an additional six 1-hour sessions to be presented in Year 2, and the additional of simulated patient scenarios in Year 3.

Two studies focused on the implementation of ELDER itself [42, 49], while a third focused on addition of simulation training to the core ELDER curriculum [36]. All three studies were conducted on the same sample.

Training based on the Toronto Framework

Pilon et al., 2015 [20]

The Toronto Framework focuses on three competency domains (Values/Ethics, Communication, Coordination) built over three phases (Exposure, Immersion, Competency). The exposure phase is achieved via a 2-day team retreat, informed by a previously-completed self-assessment. The Immersion phase consists of ongoing team meetings focused on complex case studies; Competency is assessed at repeated team retreats conducted every 6 months.

One study [20]

Interdisciplinary Management Tool (IMT)

Smith et al., 2012 [67]

Developed via research on British intermediate care teams, the IMT is described in detail in a publicly available three-part workbook. Part 1 describes an evidence-based, structured organizational development intervention designed to improve teamwork over a 6-month period with the help of a facilitator. This is ideally accomplished via an initial 1-day workshop and evaluation session, followed by recurring half- to full-day team learning sessions every 2 months (for a total of 3.5 workshop days). Part 2 contains a set of exercises to be completed at the individual and team level, as well as follow-up summaries of relevant research evidence. Part 3 consists of assessment instruments to measure team functioning at the staff and patient levels.

Two studies [52, 68] conducted on same sample

Triad for Optimal Patient Safety (TOPS)

Sehgal et al., 2008 [43]

TOPS involves development of a 4-hour teamwork training program for staff on an inpatient unit combining didactics, facilitated discussion of a safety trigger video, and small-group exercises to enhance communication skills and team behaviors.

Three studies [37, 38, 43] conducted on same sample

Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training (GITT)

Siegler, 1998 [66]

The GITT initiative was launched by the John A. Hartford Foundation in 1995, and has continued to inform team-building interventions into the twenty-first century. Programs funded through this initiative were given broad latitude in how specifically to format their team-building interventions, but typically feature a clinical/academic partnership (meaning that some GITT studies have focused on medicine, nursing, or social work studies, while others have focused on intact, enduring clinical teams).

One study focused on intact clinical teams [56], although other studies (e.g. [69]) have presented results for medicine, nursing, and social work trainees (rather than intact clinical teams)

Rehabilitation team training (no formal title provided)

Stevens et al., 2007 [70]

This team training for leaders of rehabilitation teams consists of three phases: “(1) general skills training in team-process (e.g., team effectiveness and problem-solving strategies), (2) informational feedback (e.g., action plans to address team-process problems and a summary of team-functioning characteristics as reported by rehabilitation staff), and (3) telephone and videoconference consultation (e.g., advice on implementation of action plans and facilitation of team-process skills).” The skills training (Phase 1) is conducted in the form of a 2.5-day workshop, and the action plans (Phase 2) provide feedback to participants based on completion of a 67-item pre-training survey. Consultation (Phase 3) consisted of a single group phone or video call conducted 2–3 months post-training. These training activities are all meant to be conducted with team leaders, with the team leaders then working with clinical teams to complete the Phase 2 action plans.

Two studies [45, 70] conducted on same sample