Enhancing Collaboration and Patient-Centered Care Through Moderated Multidisciplinary Consultations

In the last decade, multimorbidity has risen in Western countries. Treating patients with multiple symptoms and health conditions is complex and competencies from different specialties are needed. The World Health Organization emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to address these complex conditions. Patients with pelvic floor disorders suffer from multiple symptoms, yet today their care is often fragmented across specialties and clinicians focus on symptoms within their own diagnostic frameworks, potentially limiting holistic care. Thus, this study aimed to explore if and how a multidisciplinary organizational set-up for complex patients with pelvic floor disorders can support interprofessional collaboration and approach a complex patient in a patient-centered way.

The study was a qualitative interview study among healthcare professionals in a pelvic floor clinic using a hermeneutic approach in the setting of multidisciplinary team consultations for referred patients with pelvic floor disorders and with multiple and complex pelvic floor conditions.

Thematic analysis identified two themes and six subthemes. Theme 1; Coordinated consultation included the subthemes: Providing a framework, Involving team members, and Establishing overview. Theme 2; Patient-centered care set-up included the subthemes: Aligning expectations, Involving the patient, and Ensuring the patient feels comfortable and cared for.

To ensure patient involvement and patient-centeredness, a framework for the decision-making process is required involving management and an overview of the dialogue, timelines, and communication models for involving the patient as well as healthcare professionals. Using a moderator during consultations increased focus on interprofessional collaboration and may be the key for multidisciplinary consultations in the future helping "put the patient in the center of care".