There are a variety of self-assessment tools available to help a practice assess their current state and progress towards an integrated, team-based approach to care. Here are some considerations for practices to consider as they implement the use of these tools:

1. Choose from one of these tools versus creating your own tool. These tools have been field tested, have varying degrees of research rigor and are likely to be more helpful than a customized assessment.
2. Set a baseline by using the assessment tool at the start or close to the initiation of practice transformation efforts. Then reassess at regular intervals, such as every 6-12 months for newer efforts or every 2-3 years for more established programs.
3. In most cases, it is more useful to have a variety of personnel representative of the care team and administration, to complete the self-assessment. Results can either be aggregated or reported on separately. Personnel will vary by site but can include registration staff, nurses, medical assistants, clinic managers as well as clinical personnel.
4. The real utility of the tools is the initiation of conversations among team members about what is actually occurring at the practice level. Coalescing an implementation team is an important step in using these tools effectively.
5. Don’t get hung up on subtle score changes. The tools are not that refined to measure small numerical differences. The directionality of change is what is really being measured.
6. Remember that not every practice can or should attempt the highest level of integration. Practice characteristics vary greatly so the goal should be optimizing the team-based efforts of a practice. In some cases practices may need to rely on external team members, such as external mental health clinics with which they have contracts/ MOUs.
7. While the assessments are oriented towards collecting data from within practices, remember that patients are teammates as well. You should be assessing patient perspectives as part of your assessment efforts.