The interdisciplinary team and polytrauma rehabilitation: prescription for partnership.

Abstract

Optimal outcomes for polytrauma survivors depend on the integration of complex medical, psychosocial, financial, educational, and vocational resources across diverse specialties and multiple medical centers, programs, and organizations and all in a setting of high public visibility and family involvement. Well-functioning teams are critical to service integration, and teams are more effective in supportive hospital environments. Here, we offer a model of team functioning relevant to polytrauma and outline a team training program to improve services. Furthermore, we propose a partnership among the team, hospital administrators, and national leaders and with patients and their families. Integrated care requires partnerships among the various stakeholders, and those working in polytrauma have a unique opportunity to create an updated paradigm of the team approach responsive to the complexities of contemporary health care.