Reframing healthcare delivery in terms of the principles of complex adaptive systems has practical implications for addressing the challenges in improving surgical care. In an Integrated Practice Unit (IPU) - such as a surgical service line, a surgical in-patient floor, or an acute care unit - a diverse group of caregivers must interact in a highly interdependent fashion in an environment characterized by ambiguity, uncertainty, and time constraints. Understanding of the concept of teaming and the tenets of relational coordination are crucial to the promotion of a successful patient-centric approach to surgical care.