Palliative care is a way of caring for people with life-limiting illness that focuses on quality of life with a holistic, and person and family-centred approach. To review the key principles of palliative care and relevant national standards, refer to Module 1, Activity 13.
People affected by life-limiting illness often have complex needs that can be better met through the collaborative approach of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), than by individual health professionals working in isolation.[1]
Providing a multidisciplinary approach strengthens the provision of palliative care.[2]
The benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to care include:
- Increased satisfaction with care for the person and their family – a person’s goals of care are more likely to be achieved with a multidisciplinary approach to care
- Greater likelihood of care being provided in accordance with national standards and clinical practice guidelines
- Improved access to information and practical support for the person and their family
- Increased opportunities for health professionals involved in providing palliative care to support each other in managing the emotional aspects of this work.[2]
It is important that the care is coordinated, usually by a senior member of the MDT, to ensure that decision-making is timely, and that the various members of the team are aware of their roles and responsibilities in providing care.[3]
Not all people affected by life-limiting illness will need the support of a specialist palliative care team. They can be managed in the community by general practitioners and a primary health team, or in hospitals by other speciality teams (eg, cardiology, respiratory etc.). These non-specialist teams though are still multidisciplinary in nature. When palliative care needs are complex, the specialist palliative care team can be involved in care, either directly or in providing consultation and liaison services to the MDT.[4]
Thinking Points
- In your own words describe what is meant by multidisciplinary care.
- Describe an example from your own experience where a multidisciplinary approach to care was provided. In thinking about this example, identify:
- Who was involved?
- Why this approach was used?
- What benefits were achieved by this approach?
- What challenges were associated with this approach?
References
- Oliver, D. 2018. Improving patient outcomes through palliative care integration in other specialised health services: what have we learned so far and how can we improve? Annals of Palliative Medicine: 7(3).
- Borgstrom, E. et al. 2021. Multidisciplinary team meetings in palliative care: an ethnographic study. BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care: 14(1e).
- Therapeutic Guidelines. 2023. Overview of Palliative Care. Melbourne.
- CareSearch. 2021. Multidisciplinary Teams.