Final answer:
The healthcare team has reached the performing stage of team formation, where high levels of collaboration and proficiency enable them to achieve project goals successfully, such as designing a system to reduce patient wait times.
Step-by-step explanation:
The healthcare team that successfully designed a new patient intake system to reduce wait times has reached the performing stage of team formation. This is the stage where team members work collaboratively to achieve project goals and are highly motivated and knowledgeable.
In healthcare, the need for efficiency is paramount, particularly with an aging and less healthy population. The pressure led to a trend of consolidation among healthcare providers in the past, and more recently, an emphasis on innovations like telemedicine and the use of artificial intelligence. Teams within this sector must be adept at working together to implement these efficiencies effectively.
Well-functioning healthcare teams, such as the one in question, often follow a process of formation that begins with forming and storming, leading to norming and ultimately arriving at the performing stage. In this stage, the team operates at a high level with each member fulfilling their roles proficiently, as evidenced by the successful design of an improved intake system. Effective communication, a clear understanding of roles, and collaboration are key factors that contribute to reaching this stage, aligning with the literature on team dynamics in healthcare settings.