Abstract
This study explores drivers of satisfaction in modern care teams in which clinical and support staff are fragmented between work locations and communication methods with a large workload of digital messages. It explores the association of team culture, communication, perceived staffing, and work location on team satisfaction in an outpatient hematology and oncology practice at a large academic medical center. Clinic observation sessions and interviews with clinicians were conducted to identify potential drivers of staff satisfaction. Subsequently, a 21-question survey was developed to assess drivers correlated with care team staff satisfaction. The anonymous survey was sent to clinical and non-clinical staff. A total of 586 staff received the survey, and 278 (47%) completed the survey. Team culture/collaboration, ability to get information, and sufficient staffing were associated with high team satisfaction. Team culture/collaboration was most correlated with an individual’s team satisfaction. Clinicians who spent time in a shared team workspace had 21 percentage points higher overall satisfaction. Clinicians preferred in-person communication while support staff preferred asynchronous messaging. This study highlights the importance of building team culture for strong staff satisfaction. Practices should consider colocation of clinical teams within a shared workroom space to improve satisfaction. Colocation may be a way to support positive team culture.
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