What best describes interprofessional team roles and physician leadership?

• A. Team-based care with physician leadership coordinating care and improving systems
• B. Solo practice
• C. Nurses lead without physician involvement
• D. Physicians only make decisions

Answer: (A)

In interprofessional health care, care is delivered by teams that include multiple professionals who each bring their expertise, with leadership that coordinates and improves the whole system. The best description captures team-based care where physicians lead the work of the team, ensuring everyone contributes their specialized skills while the overall care plan is aligned, decisions are coordinated, and processes are improved for safety and quality.

Physician leadership is about guiding the team, clarifying goals, facilitating clear communication, and driving system-level improvements—so care is seamless for the patient across settings. This approach leverages the strengths of each discipline (nurses, pharmacists, social workers, therapists, etc.) and keeps the patient at the center.

Choosing solo practice or leadership without physician involvement misses the collaborative, coordinated nature of modern care, and giving decisions to physicians alone overlooks the essential input and accountability of the whole team.