Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development and Their Application in a Multidisciplinary Healthcare Practice
Introduction
Multidisciplinary healthcare practices that integrate services from physicians, chiropractors, and other providers are becoming increasingly common as the healthcare sector evolves toward a more holistic approach to patient care. The efficiency and effectiveness of such practices depend heavily on how well their teams function together. Understanding and applying Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development — Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing — can be instrumental in guiding a medical practice’s team to success.
Forming: Building the Foundation
The “Forming” stage marks the inception of the team when the practice is assembled. At this point, roles and responsibilities are unclear, and members are polite and excited. Physicians, chiropractors, other providers, and office staff are all trying to understand their place within the practice’s structure. In this phase, strong leadership is crucial. Executive leaders must clearly define the mission, values, and expectations. They must also encourage openness, establish communication protocols, and provide the support needed for team members to learn about each other’s expertise and roles.
Storming: Navigating the Challenges
As team members start to push against the boundaries established in the forming stage, differences in working styles and personalities lead to the “Storming” phase. This stage is characterized by conflicts between team members as they vie for position and confront the practice’s challenges in patient care delivery.
In a medical setting, this may manifest as disagreements over patient treatment plans between physicians and chiropractors or clashes between clinical and administrative staff regarding priorities. Leaders must foster a culture of respect and collaboration, facilitating conflict resolution through open dialogue while emphasizing the collective goals of patient care and practice success.
Norming: Finding Harmony
Once the team navigates through the storming phase, the “Norming” stage begins. Team members start to respect each other’s expertise and work harmoniously. Standard operating procedures are developed, and the group finds ways to work together efficiently, balancing inter-disciplinary inputs and administrative requirements.
In a medical practice, this might be evidenced by the development of integrated care pathways that involve both medical and chiropractic interventions, managed efficiently by the office staff. Regular meetings, shared decision-making, and acknowledgment of each discipline’s contributions characterize this stage.
Performing: Achieving Peak Performance
With structure and cohesion established, the team reaches the “Performing” stage. Here, they function as a high-performing unit with a strong sense of camaraderie. Members are competent, autonomous, and able to handle decision-making without supervision. The focus is on delivering high-quality patient care through a seamless blend of the various specialties within the practice.
At this level, for example, a physician might identify a patient who could benefit from chiropractic care and seamlessly integrate this into their treatment plan with the support of office staff who manage appointments and billing without disruption.
Conclusion
Applying Tuckman’s model in a medical practice requires a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities inherent in a multidisciplinary team setting. As healthcare becomes increasingly collaborative, these stages provide a useful framework for building and maintaining effective clinical teams. By recognizing the importance of each stage and providing the leadership to navigate them, medical practices can enhance their teamwork, patient care, and overall practice success.
Leaders and team members within a medical practice must remember that the development stages are not always linear and may not be experienced by all groups in the same way. Some teams may cycle through certain stages multiple times as new challenges arise and the team’s composition evolves. However, acknowledging the presence of these stages can empower team members to work through difficulties and leverage their diverse strengths in pursuit of a common goal: excellent patient care.
