Team care for patients with chronic rheumatic disease.

Team care is commonly used in the management of patients with chronic rheumatic disease. The specialization of team members can improve patient care and increase efficiency. By enhancing patient rapport and providing optimal opportunities to reinforce instructions, team integration can provide further advantages. In addition, integrated team care can reduce obstacles to compliance, improve patient attitudes, decrease conflicts between treatment goals of various team members, and increase opportunities for feedback among team members. Guidelines are offered for the formation and operation of a rheumatology team.