Final answer:
Dr. Gawande meant that healthcare should focus on teamwork and systems (like a pit crew) rather than on individual heroics (like cowboys), using checklists to minimize errors and improve patient outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Dr. Atul Gawande discussed the need for more pit crews and fewer cowboys in medicine, he was advocating for a more collaborative, systematic approach to healthcare, as opposed to the traditional notion of the maverick doctor working alone. Through the use of a checklist, Gawande, alongside Dr. Pronovost, aimed to reduce human error and enhance patient safety, notably in inserting central lines in ICUs and in surgery. They encountered resistance from some healthcare professionals who were skeptical about the simplicity of the solution, despite the evidence presented in medical journal articles. Gawande's work, furthered in his book The Checklist Manifesto, has shown significant reductions in postsurgical complications and deaths at multiple hospitals, illustrating the effectiveness of this approach.