A care team is a group of healthcare professionals, family members, and others who work together to coordinate your care. Think of it as your personal healthcare squad - everyone working together to help you get better and stay healthy.

Care teams make sure everyone knows what's happening with your health, avoid duplicate treatments, and ensure nothing important gets missed.

Note: Only your healthcare providers can create or update care teams to ensure proper coordination.

 

Who Might Be on Your Care Team

Healthcare professionals:

  • Primary care doctor - Your main doctor who coordinates everything
  • Specialists - Doctors who focus on specific conditions (cardiologist, orthopedist, etc.)
  • Nurses - Provide direct care and health education
  • Therapists - Physical, occupational, speech, or mental health therapists
  • Pharmacists - Help manage your medications
  • Social workers - Help with resources and support services

Your support network:

  • Family members - Relatives involved in your care decisions
  • Caregivers - People who help with daily care
  • You - You're an important member of your own care team!
  • Friends or advocates - People who support you and speak up for your needs

Care coordinators:

  • Case managers - Help organize your care across different providers
  • Patient navigators - Guide you through the healthcare system
  • Care coordinators - Make sure everyone is working together

 

What's in Your Care Team Records

Basic team information:

  • Team name - What the team is called (like "Diabetes Care Team")
  • Status - Whether the team is active, inactive, or on hold
  • Time period - When the team is working together
  • Why it was created - The health conditions or situations that led to forming the team

Team members and their roles:

  • Who's involved - List of all team members
  • What they do - Each person's role and responsibilities
  • When they're involved - Time periods for each team member
  • How to contact them - Phone numbers and contact information

Additional information:

  • Team contact info - General contact information for the whole team
  • Special notes - Important details about how the team works
  • Related visits - Healthcare appointments that led to creating the team

 

When Care Teams Are Formed

Care teams are usually created when you need coordinated care from multiple people:

  • Complex health conditions - Multiple chronic diseases that need different specialists
  • After hospitalization - Coordinating your care as you transition home
  • Rehabilitation needs - Recovery from surgery, stroke, or injury
  • Frequent healthcare use - When you're seeing many different providers
  • Complex medication needs - When you take many medications that need careful coordination
  • Family involvement - When family members need to be formally included in your care
  • Long-term care planning - Ongoing coordination for chronic conditions

 

How to Work with Your Care Team


Know your team:

  • Learn who's on your team and what each person does
  • Know who to contact for different types of questions
  • Understand who's coordinating your overall care
  • Keep team contact information handy

Communicate effectively:

  • Share important information with all relevant team members
  • Let the team know about changes in your condition
  • Ask questions if you're confused about your care
  • Tell team members about appointments with other providers

Be an active participant:

  • Remember that you're an important member of your own care team
  • Share your goals, preferences, and concerns
  • Follow through on care plans and recommendations
  • Speak up if something isn't working

Questions to ask:

  • "Who's the main coordinator of my care?"
  • "Who should I contact for different types of problems?"
  • "How do team members communicate with each other?"
  • "How often does the team meet about my care?"
  • "Can family members be added to the team?"

Remember: Your care team exists to help you get the best possible care. Don't hesitate to ask questions or request changes if the team isn't meeting your needs.