Multidisciplinary teams
RIS ID
16876
Abstract
[extract] The health reform agendas over the past decade have transformed the public, and to a lesser extent the private, health systems in Australia. One feature of these reforms has been an emphasis on establishing an effective continuum of care across care delivery systems and, to achieve that, a focus on multidisciplinary and interagency collaborations. The multidisciplinary team approach is well established in healthcare since it first appeared in the 19705. The approach is promoted as the 'ideal' model for providing holistic care and enhancing outcomes (Jefferies & Chan 2004). Teams initially focused on providing community-based care at a 'one-stop-shop', where patients with chronic disorders could consult various health providers who would be familiar with the history of individuals and who would discuss progress and design ongoing care at formal case conferences (Madge & Khair 2000).
Publication Details
Griffiths, R. & Crookes, P. A. (2006). Multidisciplinary teams. In J. Daly, S. Speedy & D. Jackson (Eds.), Contexts of Nursing 2e (pp. 184-198). Marrickville, NSW, Australia: Churchill Livingstone.