Mental and behavioral health care works best when it’s a group effort. If you’re not sure who’s adjusting Dad’s medication plan or following up on his therapy, it’s unsettling. A team approach helps everyone — you, your loved one and all the medical professionals involved — stay on the same page.

According to the National Academy of Medicine, there are five principles of “teamness” in health care: shared goals, clear roles, mutual trust, effective communication and measurable outcomes. These principles guide how care is delivered in skilled nursing facilities, and they can make all the difference in your loved one’s recovery.

Shared goals

If the doctor is aiming for one thing and the social worker wants another, problems are bound to arise. That’s why it makes a huge difference when care team members share the same goals for their patients — and that includes the patients and family themselves!

Let’s say a patient has diabetes and bipolar disorder. The patient and their care team have a lot of goals they might want to work on, from medication adherence and mood stabilization to nutrition education and daily exercise. Having all these goals could be overwhelming for the patient, but as the behavioral health team works with nursing and dietetics staff, they can streamline these goals to make a more manageable plan for the patient.

A 2022 study in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Rehabilitation emphasizes this point: Successful care depends on “formulating and actioning specific goals, along with collaboration.” In other words, it’s not just about setting goals — it’s about setting them together.

Clear roles

A skilled behavioral health team includes people with different backgrounds, from therapists and psychiatrists to nurses, aides and social workers. That diversity is a strength — but only when everyone understands their role.

Patients and families are part of the team, too. The Institute of Medicine notes that “Although different health professionals may, at times, speak ‘different languages,’ if patients and families are to be full members of the team, they must understand their fellow team members.”

Don’t overlook the value of the social worker. They often manage logistics like discharge planning, but they can also be a critical bridge between the facility and families, especially when patients can’t advocate for themselves. They can answer your nonmedical questions and help you navigate the world of behavioral health care.

Check out the AARP’s free caregiving resources, which can help organize your caregiving tasks and rally a team around you.

Mutual trust

When health care professionals work together day in and day out, they learn to trust each other’s instincts, knowledge and intentions. That trust — built over time — helps them make better, faster decisions.

Medical researchers Sophie van Baalen and Annamaria Carusi describe it this way: “In clinical practice, decision-making is not performed by individual knowers but by an assemblage of people and instruments in which no one member has full access to every piece of evidence.” In other words, “Medicine … is inherently social.”

Let’s return to our earlier example of the patient with diabetes and bipolar disorder. Perhaps the patient is showing a change in behavior, which is subtle enough that only the nurse notices. The nurse flags this to the psychiatrist, who is able to recommend a medication adjustment right away. Without this trust among team members, this needed adjustment may have been missed.

“When team members really listen to each other, we spot problems sooner and residents get the right care faster,” said Scott Dagenais, director of therapy and Mental Health Operations at Generations Healthcare, which operates facilities throughout California. “Honesty, curiosity, humility — these traits can be just as important as medical skills when it comes to caring for our patients as an effective team.”

Effective communication

Rounding is one powerful way health care teams communicate. Rounding is a team huddle — a regularly scheduled meeting when the patient’s medical team gathers to discuss the patient’s status and care plan.

Families and patients are encouraged to participate. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, participating in rounds can offer the following:

• Valuable information exchange.
• Fewer chances for error.
• Greater transparency and safety.

You deserve to know what’s happening — and why. Rounding can give you a seat at the table.

Measurable outcomes

How can you tell if a care team is doing a good job? Look at the results.

Teams that follow best practices track their progress and outcomes. They review what’s working — and what’s not — so they can adjust in real time. The National Academy of Medicine explains that only through “rigorous, continuous and deliberate measurement” can teams identify barriers and improve care.

This kind of tracking isn’t just for hospitals anymore. Skilled nursing teams, too, are focusing more on measuring patient safety and quality care. That means your loved one’s team is not only working together — they’re working toward something measurable.

Team-based care isn’t just a health care buzzword. It’s a lifeline for people in behavioral health settings — and for the families who love them. When roles are clear, goals are shared and trust is built, care improves. It’s that simple.

Isabella Markert is a content writer for Stage Marketing, a full-service content marketing agency based in Lehi.