Team training in adult oncology.

27 Background: In outpatient oncology, clinicians working in various locations and at different times, rely on each other for information to coordinate and manage care. Increasingly complex treatment algorithms magnify risk for adverse events precipitated by failures of communication/coordination. We implemented team training in 16 adult practices across five campuses (community and academic) to reduce errors and increase efficiency/quality. Methods: 1,000+ MDs, NPs, PAs, RNs, pharmacists, and support staff were trained in teamwork concepts. Interventions and methods included baseline data collection on key clinical processes, (e.g. same-day chemotherapy changes not communicated to treating RN); observations and interviews with teams; “train-the-trainer” sessions; identification of “pain points”; interdisciplinary "process meetings" to develop agreements, tools and systems changes to support better communication/efficiency; trained all staff; collected data six months post-training. Results: Despite infre...