An Investigation of Power in an Interdisciplinary Health Care Team

This study addressed the question of how power is perceived and shared in a non-hierarchical interdisciplinary health care model. Eleven members of an interdisciplinary health care team were asked to: (1) rate power sources for their constructive use in team function; (2) rank team members for power position in the team; and (3) identify up to five power sources in order of importance for the three members they rated most powerful, three members rated least powerful and for themselves. The perceived power for leadership was neither equal nor hierarchical. The highest rated power sources were not always within control of team members. Team physicians were not necessarily rated as most powerful. The members ranked as most powerful used the greatest range of power sources. Entering and/or leaving a team created a misperception of power for leadership. These findings question the assumptions behind the need for physician led teams in interdisciplinary health care.