Hierarchical Differences:
Historically, interactions between healthcare teams have been dominated by doctors,50 and staff often classify their ‘team’ as the other staff members of the same profession (e.g. medical team, nursing team etc.). This contrasts to high reliability organisations such as military aviation and nuclear power who work more collaboratively, and also have low accident and failure rates.51 Seven studies in our review1,32,34-37,40 reported that huddles improved communication between various professional groups, primarily between doctors and nurses. Having a structured interdisciplinary gathering bridges the communication barrier and allows the multidisciplinary team to work more cohesively and collaborate collectively on a daily basis. However, one study reported lower levels of job satisfaction with resident doctors taking part in the huddle.35 This was due to a feeling of decreased autonomy and that it added to their often-overstretched workload.52 This review highlights the importance that all team members take part in the huddle, regardless of seniority, to ensure it is an ongoing process and to benefit from the collaboration and collegiality it can facilitate. This collaboration and collegiality is a key component of improving teamwork among healthcare providers.