Diagnostic Medical Sonography News September 2019 | Page 3

Teamwork in Health Care
“While sonographers usually run tests on their own, they are part of a greater
network that cooperates together. You can expect to collaborate with nurses, doctors
and other medical workers to pinpoint exactly what your patients need” (Braham,
2012). Every outlet within the health care field requires teamwork, from behind-
the-scenes jobs to patient registration, from insurance verification to direct patient
care. Teamwork makes up the entity that we know as health care. It is never one
individual’s job to make sure a patient gets the care that is needed.
The HRH Global Resource Center writes that “researchers have found that working
together reduces the number of medical errors and increases patient safety.
Teamwork also reduces issues that lead to burnout. No longer is one person
responsible for the patient’s health; today, an entire team of health workers come
together to coordinate a patient’s well-being. Health teams help break down
hierarchy and centralized power of health organizations, giving more leverage to
health workers” (“Why is Teamwork,” n.d.).
Teamwork is a very vital role in health care including within the Sonography
program. I observe this quality in everything the students do, such as interpreting
scans, assisting each other with finding organs, veins, etc. and learning techniques
to perform procedures. Overall, focusing on teamwork in health care can immensely
improve patient safety and quality care.
Elizabeth Jackson
References:
Braham, M. (2012) What you need to know about diagnostic medical tests – it’s your
life, live it! Brighton, MA:
Cancer Group Institute.
Why is teamwork in health care important? (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.hrhresourcecenter.org/HRH_Info_Teamwork.html
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