A multidisciplinary clinic offers multiple specialty physicians to work together to diagnose and treat patients. It is a convenient way to get all the care you need under one roof.
There are many benefits of a multidisciplinary clinic to both patients and professionals. For patients, these include:
Better Long-Term Outcomes
Multidisciplinary care enables health professionals to organise and optimise patients’ care pathways in an efficient way. This is becoming increasingly important as diseases are more complex and patients have multiple co-morbidities requiring a combination of care from different disciplines. This requires coordination and communication among these disciplines.
This allows for a more targeted approach to treatment which improves the patient’s quality of life and recovery time. This results in fewer complications, a better prognosis, and decreased overall cost of care.
A multidisciplinary clinic also has benefits for the medical staff. As resident and medical student work hours are limited, it is important to maximize the educational value of their time. Attending multidisciplinary conferences is an excellent opportunity to learn from other specialists while earning CME hours at the same time.
The physicians on the team also have a chance to get to know each other during the conference and collaborate in patient care, which is beneficial for the long term. This is especially important for chronic conditions that require a long-term management plan.
In addition, many multidisciplinary clinics offer a complete range of services such as physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutrition consultation. This makes it easier for patients to use their extended health insurance coverage at a single location. This saves both the patient and their family time as they don’t have to travel to multiple locations to receive healthcare.
More Efficient
The team approach helps avoid duplication of care and provides a strong framework for coordination. The collaboration between healthcare providers in a multidisciplinary clinic ensures that every patient’s needs are met. It also helps to speed up the process of treatment and recovery.
Whether you have an orthopedic injury, stomach issue, or even just a persistent cough, each practitioner on your care team has a unique set of skills that help them deal with specific symptoms and conditions. A physiotherapist would work with your chiropractor or physician to help alleviate pain, while a nutritionist can assist with diet and lifestyle changes.
A coordinating nurse or advanced practice provider (APP) can also be an effective addition to a multidisciplinary team. Having someone dedicated to coordinating the multidisciplinary program means that they are an expert in their field and can quickly and efficiently review medical records, communicate with the team, and schedule appointments.
Additionally, they can provide educational content on the hospital’s website to help patients understand their condition and treatment options, and connect them with other resources. This can help the team better engage with patients by ensuring that they are aware of and are following through on goals and objectives for the patient, which enhances productivity and saves time. It can also reduce errors in service as tasks are assigned clearly and efficiently.
Better Patient Experience
Many clients at multidisciplinary clinics find they feel better and achieve their recovery goals much more quickly than those who are not attending one. This is likely due to a combination of factors, such as better communication between team members and less time spent waiting to see providers.
In addition, working within a multidisciplinary care team increases productivity and saves time because tasks are clearly communicated and delegated between members to decrease service duplication. This can also help reduce the overall costs of healthcare for patients because the cost of unnecessary appointments is decreased.
Additionally, the ability to access a variety of specialists under one roof makes it easier for patients to utilize their extended healthcare coverage and make budgetary decisions about their treatments. Clients can easily discuss their extended benefits with their therapist or the front desk staff to determine the best way to maximize their health care coverage.
Running a multidisciplinary clinic takes careful planning and precise execution, especially when it comes to scheduling and billing. Fortunately, there are some proven strategies for building a high-functioning and productive multidisciplinary team, such as using a software solution to streamline appointment booking and communication. This can free up your staff to focus on providing the exceptional client experience you are known for, rather than administrative tasks.
