Tracheostomy Teams in Healthcare: A Path to Better Outcomes
Tracheostomy teams have been part of the healthcare landscape for many years, but only recently have the benefits of the team been widely studied1. There has been an increase in the rate of tracheostomy in critically ill patients2. Accompanying this increase is the evolving world of critical care: our healthcare system is becoming more complex and intricate over time as advancements are made in the medical field2. As a result, patients with tracheostomies require specialized, coordinated care, making dedicated tracheostomy teams more essential than ever.
UPCOMING WEBINAR: To learn more about tracheostomy teams, please join our upcoming webinar “Enhancing Outcomes Through Multidisciplinary Tracheostomy Teams". Click here to REGISTER NOW.
Why are tracheostomy teams needed?
The complexity of care for patients with a tracheostomy has continued to expand3. Patients who require a tracheostomy rarely have one body part affected and therefore require multiple subspecialists to be involved in their care. Additionally, many of these diagnoses are interconnected, meaning that a negative impact on one body system can have detrimental effects on the other4. Ensuring that each diagnosis and its required treatment are managed safely can be challenging for the primary team to handle alone. Managing complex patients with multiple diagnoses often requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach; therefore, involving a tracheostomy team can significantly enhance the safety and quality of care3,4.
Benefits of the team
The tracheostomy team can have a significant impact on multiple aspects of patient care. The impact on in-hospital care, especially mortality reduction in the ICU, is one of the most important benefits of the tracheostomy team4. Additionally, the specialized care of the team can help the primary team feel more confident in their ability to care for the complex tracheostomy population, while also overseeing the care of other body systems5.
A variety of patient outcomes, in addition to mortality reduction, are shown to improve with the addition of a tracheostomy team. Respiratory distress in patients with a tracheostomy is common; however, both tube blockages and instances of respiratory distress decrease with the addition of a tracheostomy team5. Overall length of stay, both in the hospital and in the ICU, decrease when a tracheostomy team is part of the patient’s care team2. Evaluation by speech language pathologists happens sooner when a tracheostomy team is involved in patient care, as well as increased speaking valve use5. Additionally, time to decannulation decreases with tracheostomy team involvement5.
Team Makeup
As discussed, a multidisciplinary team can bring significant benefits to patients with tracheostomy. Having providers with diverse skill sets and backgrounds can lead to improved outcomes2,5. Speech Pathologists, Respiratory Therapists, Nurses, Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, and Physical Therapists are only a sampling of the many healthcare professionals who may be a part of the tracheostomy team1.
Key Points
There are countless benefits to a multidisciplinary tracheostomy team, including:
- Improved patient outcomes4
- Streamlined care3
- Benefit of multiple professional perspectives2,5
- Increase of speaking valve use5
- Decreased time to decannulation5
In conclusion, the formation of a multidisciplinary tracheostomy team is not just a best practice, it’s a transformative approach to patient care. Beyond improved outcomes, trach teams also foster enhanced communication, reduce complications, and may serve to promote earlier decannulation and discharge. These collaborative efforts ensure that every patient receives holistic, evidence-based care tailored to their unique needs. For this vulnerable population, a dedicated team is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. By investing in multidisciplinary collaboration, we elevate the standard of care and reaffirm our commitment to patient-centered excellence.
Upcoming webinar:
To learn more about tracheostomy teams, please register for our upcoming webinar!
Topic: Enhancing Outcomes Through Multidisciplinary Tracheostomy Teams
Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm CT
References:
1. Bonvento, B., Wallace, S., Lynch, J., Coe, B., & McGrath, B. A. (2017). Role of the multidisciplinary team in the care of the tracheostomy patient. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 10, 391–398. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S118419
2. Mitchell R, Parker V, Giles M. An interprofessional team approach to tracheostomy care: a mixed-method investigation into the mechanisms explaining tracheostomy team effectiveness. Int J Nurs Stud. 2013;50(4):536-542. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.11.008
3. Tobin AE. Tracheostomy teams - filling a void. Crit Care Resusc. 2009;11(1):3-4.‘Tracheostomy Education’ Tracheostomy Education How To Form A Tracheostomy Team | Tracheostomy Education Published 2022 Feb 5
4. Kim MM, Barnato AE, Angus DC, Fleisher LA, Kahn JM. The effect of multidisciplinary care teams on intensive care unit mortality [published correction appears in Arch Intern Med. 2010 May 24;170(10):867. Fleisher, Lee F [corrected to Fleisher, Lee A]]. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(4):369-376. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.521
5. de Mestral C, Iqbal S, Fong N, et al. Impact of a specialized multidisciplinary tracheostomy team on tracheostomy care in critically ill patients. Can J Surg. 2011;54(3):167-172. doi:10.1503/cjs.043209