"Who Knows What" in Emergency Teams Can Improve Outcomes for Trauma Patients

Tepperspectives by the Tepper School of Business

Episode notes

In trauma bays, a team’s collective mind often matters more than individual skill. A recent study by Tepper School Professor Linda Argote and colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh, the Virginia Hospital Center, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and Washington University in St. Louis found that teams with a strong transactive memory system, which is a shared understanding of each member's expertise, significantly improve patient outcomes. By analyzing emergency video recordings, researchers discovered that teams accustomed to working together function as a synchronized unit, anticipating moves to reduce ICU stays by nearly two days and overall hospitalization by more than three. In short, knowing "who knows what" saves lives and speeds recovery.

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Keywords
Carnegie Mellon UniversityTepper School of BusinessEmily DeJeuAITransactive Memory SystemsHealthcareTrauma CareLinda Argote