Team approaches in palliative care: a review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Interdisciplinary team involvement is commonplace in many palliative care settings across the world. Teamwork is perceived by many experts as an indispensable functionality of palliative care teams. Significantly different structural and functional attributes of these teams between regional and organisational contexts could potentially act both as strengths and weaknesses towards their overall productivity. The sustainability and resilience of the team also has an indirect bearing on the team functioning. Aim: This article describes international evidence on dynamic palliative care teams with a view of how and when they function efficiently or adversely. Emphasis is also placed on studies that suggest means to mitigate the conflicts and limitations of teamwork in palliative care and related healthcare settings. Findings: Evidence strongly suggests that palliative care is best delivered through a multidisciplinary team approach. Conclusion: The overall performance of a healthcare team is largely determined by the supportive work environment built through effective communication, leadership skills and mutual respect.