Teamwork and Communication among Healthcare Professionals in Thailand: Perspectives of Organizational Psychology on Socio-Cultural Challenges
Keywords:
teamwork, communication, healthcare professionals, organizational psychology, Thai socio-cultural challengesAbstract
Despite the importance of teamwork and communication for work effectiveness of healthcare professionals, studies examining how socio-cultural factors influence teamwork and communication remain limited. This review article examines how cultural dimensions influence teamwork and communication among Thai healthcare professionals by reviewing peer-reviewed studies published within the past five years. The review integrates organizational psychology’s Input-Mediator-Outcome-Input (IMOI) model with Health Systems Science (HSS) to provide a dual-lens perspective for understanding both system-level conditions and team-level behavioral mechanisms. Three socio-cultural determinants are illustrated: deference to hierarchy and power differentials, group harmony, and perseverance and self-sacrifice rooted in a sense of duty. Although these determinants drive compliance, group cohesion, and resilience at work, they may also hinder all-channel communication, constructive dialogues, shared decision-making, and psychological safety and well-being over the long term. To address these challenges, the review proposes three future agendas: flattening hierarchical barriers, reinforcing multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and multi-team systems (MTSs) collaboration, and cultivating team emotional intelligence (EI). By combining organizational psychology perspectives with the HSS framework while considering Thai socio-cultural contexts, the article offers an integrated direction to guide future research and interventions aimed at strengthening teamwork and communication in Thai healthcare organizations.
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