This document outlines a PhD thesis examining how care pathways can improve teamwork in healthcare and prevent burnout. It begins with an introduction describing the growing need for effective teamwork in healthcare due to high rates of medical errors. Barriers to teamwork like fragmented structures and high workload are discussed. The thesis then explores how care pathways, as a type of organizational intervention, may improve teamwork by facilitating communication and coordination among healthcare teams.
The PhD study involved four studies to examine indicators of teamwork, the impact of care pathways on teamwork, and conditions influencing care pathway implementation. A cluster randomized controlled trial found that teams using care pathways perceived themselves as more of a real team and had a better quality work environment than control teams