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Barriers to multidisciplinary team approach in end-of-life decision-making: Insights from an Indian hospital
  • Jaydeep Sengupta,
  • Suhita Chopra Chatterjee
Jaydeep Sengupta
Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University

Corresponding Author:senjaydeep@gmail.com

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Suhita Chopra Chatterjee
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
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Abstract

A common perception about Multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is that it improves quality of care to hospitalized patients, particularly those who are dying. However, there is paucity of information on challenges in implementing such approach in end-of-life care (eolc). The present study explores barriers to MDT functioning in the context of ‘eolc’. Data collected through interviews of physicians, nurses and other staff, and review of case records of deceased patients of a multispecialty hospital in Kolkata (India) suggest that the MDT approach fails to live up to its rhetoric. One of the major challenges is professional boundary that is intrinsic to MDT. Due to this, specialist physicians fail to make consensus end-of-life decisions by overcoming disciplinary boundaries. Moreover, holistic caregiving is compromised in the physician-dominant medical team, where nurses and other non-clinical caregivers feel marginalized. The hospital environment is also not conducive to multidisciplinary teamwork. Application of a disease-specific treatment protocol in ‘eolc’ settings aggravates team coordination. ‘Eolc’ referrals and care transfers becomes very difficult. Dying patients and their families are specially affected by such discordant care. Based on the findings, the study suggests that while team approach is imperative to effective ‘eolc’, there is a need to shift focus from multidisciplinary to transdisciplinary approach to enhance care integration and patient-centric care to terminally ill patients.
30 Apr 2020Submitted to Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
02 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
02 May 2020Assigned to Editor