The Multidisciplinary Approach
The medical model used to deliver care to CRS
patients is often referred to as a multispecialty (more than one
type of physician) interdisciplinary (different non-physician
members including therapists, social workers, child life, and
psychologists) team approach. The definition used by the Arizona
Department of Health Services to describe the multidisciplinary
team is:
Physicians, non-physician professionals, and family members
collaborating in planning, delivering and evaluating health care
services.
Individual physician clinics at CRS all have
access to interpreters, social workers, advocates, and nurses to
assist the physician and family in developing a plan of care for
the patient. The record from each visit is stored in a
unified medical record. This allows each physician and
specialty service to enhance the coordination of care by having
easy access to other treatment plans. If necessary, they know
whom to contact for immediate verbal coordination of care.
CRS also provides multidisciplinary planning
clinics. Some of the more complex diagnoses seen in the CRS
Program have clinics set up where multiple doctors and multiple
specialties meet with each family in one day. The
patient’s medical needs are identified; the other service
needs are identified. At the end of the day, the team of
physicians and non-physician members meet to discuss the patient
and family needs. An individualized coordinated plan of care
is developed for the patient. The primary care physician is
invited to the planning clinics to assure that the patient’s
care is coordinated between specialty physicians
The multidisciplinary teams include Spina
Bifida Team, Neurofibromatosis Team, Sickle Cell Team, Craniofacial
and Cleft Teams, Cystic Fibrosis Team, Metabolic Team, and
Spasticity Management Team.
One aspect of the multidisciplinary approach
is the use of the team meeting. The Interdisciplinary team meeting
is where team members come together to discuss the care, treatment,
and care plan of the individual patient based on the most current
information available. One of the prime objectives of the team
meeting is to establishment and/or updates the unique course of
treatment best suited to meet the needs of the individual patient.
This course of treatment is referred to as the treatment
plan.
The complexity associated with CRS covered conditions often defines
the size and configuration of the team. Medical conditions can
ranges from the severely complex where the diagnosis often includes
several body systems, to conditions that only require limited
medical management. Complex conditions such as Spina Bifida and
Cerebral Palsy require a more involved medical management team and
typically include physicians from several subspecialties. Often
times the physician team members are complimented with other
medical personnel. Depending on the patient’s diagnosis, the
team members may also include physical, occupational or speech
therapy. Some teams may also include audiology or dentistry. Each
plan of treatment is unique to the needs of the individual
patient
Both complex and straightforward diagnosis may all benefit from
some of the other non-physician members of the interdisciplinary
team. Representatives from social services, child life and patient
advocacy are always ready to support our patients during the course
of their treatments.
St. Joseph’s Hospital’s CRS Regional Clinic is a
medical home where patients, families, and team members can
coordinate services, deliver care, and provide support to the
patients and families in a comfortable non-threatening atmosphere.
Last Updated 07/21/2007