A groundbreaking study originating from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health has shed new light on the role of team creativity as a critical, yet previously underexplored, factor influencing the well-being and effectiveness of primary care teams. This pioneering research introduces a novel Primary Care Team Creativity assessment tool, demonstrating that higher levels of team creativity significantly correlate with improved job satisfaction and diminished burnout among clinicians and staff. The implications of these findings fundamentally challenge prevailing approaches in healthcare management, positioning creativity not as a peripheral concept but as a core organizational asset capable of transforming patient care delivery and workforce sustainability.
Creativity within healthcare teams is here conceptualized as the collective capacity to generate novel, practical solutions to complex challenges. While the concept of team creativity has been extensively analyzed in the domains of business and organizational psychology, its explicit validation and application in primary healthcare settings represent an innovative leap. This new perspective comes at a critical juncture as primary care faces escalating demands and mounting systemic pressures that exacerbate provider fatigue and turnover.
The study’s lead investigator, Yuna Lee, PhD, an assistant professor in Health Policy and Management at Columbia Mailman, emphasized the novelty and utility of their findings. “Primary care teams are under unprecedented strain,” Dr. Lee explains, “and despite numerous interventions targeting individual resilience and workload management, burnout rates remain high. Our research reveals that empowering teams through creativity fosters an engaged, psychologically healthy workplace, which translates into better patient care.”
Conducted within a substantial New York State health system encompassing 21 hospitals and nearly 900 outpatient centers, the research employed a robust survey methodology. The sample included approximately 400 primary care providers and associates, providing a rich, representative dataset. Demographic characteristics of respondents indicated considerable workforce diversity: a majority (82%) identified as female, 56% as White, with a variety of clinical roles represented, including physicians and registered nurses.
The researchers identify three principal advancements brought forth by this study. First, it establishes team creativity as a measurable, relevant variable impacting health professional well-being and care quality in a setting that fundamentally relies on synergistic teamwork. Second, it introduces a validated tool specifically designed for assessing creativity in the unique context of primary care teams, a notable contribution to health services research methodology. Third, the work advances systemic understanding of the interdependencies between healthcare professionals’ workplace experiences, their mental health outcomes, and patient care efficacy.
The creative dynamic within healthcare teams is not merely an abstract notion but a concrete catalyst for practical innovation and adaptive problem-solving. Drawing on interdisciplinary research from management sciences and social psychology, the study elucidates how creative engagement positively affects staff morale, fostering a work environment where novel ideas are valued and implemented. This culture of innovation counters the traditionally hierarchical and rigid structures prevalent in many health care systems, indicating a paradigm shift towards more flexible, employee-empowered models.
Importantly, the study underscores the inadequacy of interventions that focus narrowly on individual resilience, highlighting instead the necessity for systemic, team-level strategies. By cultivating creativity, health systems can address burnout more holistically, enhancing intrinsic job satisfaction and reducing turnover. This approach offers a scalable model for health system leaders confronting workforce shortages and pressures to maintain high-quality, patient-centered care amidst rapidly evolving challenges.
The methodological rigor of the study includes quantitative validation of the Team Creativity measurement instrument, which assesses dimensions such as idea generation, risk-taking, collaboration, and mutual support among team members. These factors collectively contribute to a dynamic environment conducive to innovation and psychological well-being. The correlation between elevated creativity scores and improved mental health metrics among providers provides compelling evidence for health administrations to prioritize this dimension in organizational development.
Given the systemic scale and diversity of the subject population, the findings hold significant generalizability for health systems nationwide and beyond. With global health systems grappling with similar concerns about provider burnout and care quality, this research potentially inaugurates a new standard for evaluating and enhancing team-based care delivery. The strategic integration of creativity into organizational culture emerges as a potent intervention for sustainable health workforce management.
Co-authored by distinguished experts from Northwell Health, Saint Louis University, and Columbia University, and supported by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, this study exemplifies interdisciplinary collaboration addressing pressing healthcare challenges. As policymakers and healthcare executives seek innovative levers to optimize care and workforce stability, team creativity stands out as a nascent yet profoundly impactful dimension.
The implications extend beyond primary care teams, suggesting fertile ground for expanding creativity-focused interventions across diverse clinical settings. Future research is poised to explore the mechanisms through which creativity enhances care coordination, patient outcomes, and organizational resilience. This initial validation provides a robust foundation for such investigations, heralding a transformative approach to health services research and practice.
In sum, this study reframes creativity as both an engine of innovation and a vital determinant of provider well-being in primary care. By acknowledging and nurturing the creative potential embedded within teams, healthcare systems can improve care effectiveness, support professional fulfillment, and meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare environments.
Subject of Research: Team Creativity in Primary Care and its Impact on Clinician Well-being and Care Effectiveness
Article Title: Team Creativity as a Catalyst for Care Effectiveness and Well-being in Primary Care Teams
News Publication Date: February 23, 2026
Web References:
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health: www.mailman.columbia.edu
- Health Care Management Review Article: DOI: 10.1097/HMR.0000000000000465
References:
- Lee, Y., LaVine, N., Rathert, C., Kogan, Y., Poghosyan, L. (2026). Team creativity as a catalyst for care effectiveness and well-being in primary care teams. Health Care Management Review.
Keywords: Health and medicine, Primary care, Team creativity, Burnout, Job satisfaction, Healthcare innovation, Provider well-being
