Introduction: Collaborative practices have become crucial in today’s healthcare system. This is mainly due to the increasing complexity of health issues and the high degree of specialization in healthcare professions. Using local champions to implement effective collaborative practices can be an effective strategy, provided it is carefully planned and executed.

Objective: This paper highlights 10 essentials for implementing collaborative practices using champions from different healthcare professions. Method: These essentials are developed based on qualitative longitudinal research conducted at the Geneva University Hospitals as part of the implementation of the TeamSTEPPS program.

Results: The 10 essentials include: 1) Selecting recognized and legitimate champions, 2) Building interprofessional teams of champions, 3) Relying on a structured implementation framework, 4) Ensuring visible and continuous institutional support, 5) Adapting innovation to the local context, 6) Articulating the innovation with other institutional projects, 7) Enabling exchanges between champions, 8) Giving the field the power to choose and prioritize implemented tools, 9) Thinking about sustainability from the beginning of the project, and 10) Evaluating and adjusting continuously.

Conclusion: These 10 essentials provide a practical and educational foundation for healthcare professionals involved in implementing collaborative practices in institutional settings.