What is TeamSTEPPS?

• A. A framework designed to improve teamwork and patient safety
• B. A training module for radiographic technique
• C. A system for electronic health records
• D. A patient satisfaction survey

Answer: (A)

TeamSTEPPS is a framework designed to improve teamwork and patient safety by giving healthcare teams practical tools to communicate and coordinate more effectively. It focuses on four core teamwork skills—leadership, situation monitoring, mutual support, and effective communication—and uses structured techniques like SBAR for concise handoffs, briefings and debriefings, huddles, call-outs, cross-monitoring, and standardized check-backs. In radiology, applying TeamSTEPPS helps ensure correct patient identification, clear imaging orders, safe patient handling, and smooth information flow between radiographers, clinicians, and other staff, which together reduce errors that stem from miscommunication. It is not about teaching radiographic technique, nor is it an electronic health record system or a patient satisfaction survey.