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Importance of Multidisciplinary Care Teams in End-of-Life Care

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By: Hannah Borrett • Edited by: Katelynne Shepard • Subject Matter Expert Reviewed by: Brindusa Vanta, MD • 10 cited sources • Updated Oct 17, 2024
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End-of-life care can bring many challenges, from managing physical discomfort to emotional and practical concerns. A multidisciplinary team of knowledgeable healthcare professionals and other allied providers helps keep your unique needs and wishes at the forefront of medical decisions while ensuring comprehensive care. Below, we’ll explore the roles and benefits of a multidisciplinary team and explain how they support person-centered end-of-life care. 

Key Takeaways

  • Multidisciplinary care teams help enhance physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being.
  • Research shows that multidisciplinary care offers patients a better quality of life.
  • Multidisciplinary teams may include doctors, skilled nurses, and other health and social care professionals.
  • Elderly patients and people receiving palliative or hospice care often benefit from a multidisciplinary approach.

What Are Multidisciplinary Care Teams?

Multidisciplinary care teams include professionals from various specialties, delivering holistic clinical and social services to patients[1]. While multidisciplinary teams may feature in multiple healthcare settings, they’re particularly common in end-of-life care because they help meet a person’s medical, social, and psychological needs. 

Common Roles of Team Members in End-of-Life Care

The role of each multidisciplinary team member is determined by their specialized training in a particular field, tailored to meet the unique needs of the patient and the model used by the healthcare provider. A case manager or physician usually coordinates multidisciplinary end-of-life care.

Palliative care physicians working within multidisciplinary teams receive specialized training to help them assess “total pain”[2]. “Total pain” is a concept in palliative care that goes beyond physical pain to include other aspects of suffering experienced by a person at the end of life. This includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of suffering.

Multidisciplinary teams also feature advanced practice nurses and registered nurses. These professionals deliver day-to-day care in hospitals and other settings, such as a hospice or your own home. Over time, nursing teams develop a detailed understanding of your unique needs and preferences to establish strong, trusting relationships. 

Your team may also include palliative social workers. Professionals specializing in end-of-life social care can connect you with the most appropriate community-based services, provide psychosocial support, and assist with practical matters such as housing. 

The following professionals may also collaborate with your medical and social care team:

  • Nutritionists
  • Rehabilitation specialists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Chaplains
  • Doctors specializing in other disciplines
  • Psychologists

Whoever your team includes, professionals will work collaboratively to maximize comfort and enhance your physical, psychological, and social well-being. 

The addition of psychologists and psychotherapists to multidisciplinary end-of-life care teams offers numerous benefits to both patients and their families. They provide emotional support,  psychological assessments, and therapies and assist with bereavement. They truly contribute to improving patients’ overall quality of life.

Dr. Brindusa Vanta, MD

Benefits of Working With a Multidisciplinary Healthcare Team

The primary benefit of working with a multidisciplinary healthcare team is that healthcare professionals work together to maximize your quality of life.

In more traditional care models, professionals may confine their involvement to their own area of expertise. In contrast, a multidisciplinary team will collaborate with you and your loved ones to develop trust and foster good communication. This process allows them to consider multiple viewpoints, explore which resources each discipline has to offer, and create a personalized care plan that meets your unique requirements. 

This collaborative approach allows care providers to[3]:

  • Manage your environment to ensure comfort and dignity
  • Deliver rapid, effective pain relief
  • Develop customized dietary plans to maximize your nutritional profile
  • Provide education to help you understand your healthcare options and gain maximum benefit from your care plan
  • Deliver regular psychological counseling to reduce emotional distress 
  • Support friends and family members 

Research demonstrates that multidisciplinary teams provide better care to people approaching the end of their lives than professionals working in isolation. A 2019 literature review [4] determined that working within a multidisciplinary team helps healthcare providers deliver optimal palliative care. Research also shows that people receiving multidisciplinary care express higher rates of satisfaction, experience better symptom control, and spend less time in in-patient settings[5].

Multidisciplinary care teams recognize that using the concept of ‘total pain’ in evaluating pain for patients at the end of life is essential for improving their quality of life. Some researchers suggest that optimal pain relief is not possible unless all dimensions of ‘total pain’ are addressed.

Dr. Brindusa Vanta, MD

Who Should Consider Working With a Multidisciplinary Team?

Working with a multidisciplinary team may be the right option for some, but not all. Here are some examples of who may be best suited for this type of care.

Elderly Patients

As we age, our risk of certain health problems increases. Treating age-related issues can be complex because these conditions tend to interact with each other. For example, people with dementia may be more likely to experience falls[6]. 

A multidisciplinary team helps older adults enjoy better quality of life by holistically assessing their needs. Geriatricians, specialist nurses, and other healthcare professionals work together to explore how comorbidities overlap and create a care plan to address medical, practical, and psychosocial needs.

Patients in Palliative Care

Although many people associate palliative care with end-of-life care, you can receive palliative services at any time during a serious illness[7]. High-quality palliative care provides effective symptom management and support with practical, emotional, and spiritual concerns[8].

Clinicians and other professionals can collaborate as a multidisciplinary team to share perspectives and offer a package that cares for the whole person. 

Patients in Hospice Care

Hospice care is similar to palliative care in that it helps control symptoms and improve quality of life. However, people receive hospice services toward the end of their lives when their disease progression can no longer be controlled. 

Multidisciplinary hospice teams coordinate their services to produce a comprehensive care plan that meets a person’s medical and psychosocial needs at home or in an inpatient setting. Most multidisciplinary teams offer 24/7 support, meaning patients and their families can get help whenever needed.

Families Seeking Comprehensive Support for a Loved One

Coping with your own emotions while providing support to a loved one nearing the end of life can be challenging. Multidisciplinary hospice and palliative care teams care for the whole family, providing services such as family meetings, respite care, and bereavement counseling. Working with an interdisciplinary team can help reduce caregiver stress while improving the person’s quality of life, enabling you to focus on enjoying time together. 

How Much Does It Cost to Work With a Multidisciplinary Care Team?

How much multidisciplinary end-of-life care costs depends on several factors, including which services you receive. Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance companies cover palliative care delivered in hospitals, inpatient nursing homes, or outpatient clinics for eligible individuals. However, you’ll likely pay copays as you would for other covered services[9]. 

Health insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid typically cover services delivered by physicians and skilled nurses[10]. However, they won’t necessarily cover non-clinical services such as chaplaincy, so it’s worth checking with your insurer. Some states pay for multidisciplinary palliative care through Medicaid or specialized state-funded programs.

Considering End-of-Life Care

If you or someone you love is considering end-of-life care, working with a multidisciplinary healthcare team can help you achieve comprehensive care. Collaborative multidisciplinary teams support you in managing your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, enabling you to focus on enjoying the best possible quality of life.

Written by Hannah Borrett

Hannah Borrett-Stephens is a graduate of Goldsmiths, University of London and excels at at translating complex information into digestible long-form content for general readers. Her areas of specialism include DIY, senior living, and substance rehabilitation, although her seven years of professional writing experience also make her a strong generalist. Hannah enjoys topics requiring extensive research and delivers accurate, insightful articles for American and British audiences. In her downtime, she enjoys growing her own vegetables in her garden and walking in the English countryside surrounding her home.

Edited by Katelynne Shepard

Katelynne Shepard is a writer, editor and SME who is proficient at crafting and reviewing content. She has been a full-time copywriter and editor since 2011 and has written content for Fortune 500 companies, independent law firms, indie publishers, small-business owners and mainstream websites. She specializes in parenting, lifestyle, family law, personal injury, criminal law, immigration law, astrology, personal finance, education and health care. In addition to thousands of e-commerce product and category descriptions, Verle's work includes SEO blogs, social media posts and long-form informational articles.

Subject Matter Expert Brindusa Vanta, MD

Dr. Brindusa Vanta is a healthcare professional, researcher, and medical subject matter expert . She earned her MD degree from "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine, Romania. She has a special interest in mental health and has collaborated with psychologists and other mental health practitioners on various research projects focused on therapies to manage depression, age-related cognitive decline, trauma and stressor- related conditions.

Sources

  1. Lanken, P. N., Terry, P. B., Delisser, H. M., Fahy, B. F., Hansen-Flaschen, J., Heffner, J. E., Levy, M. M., Mularski, R. A., Osborne, M. L., Prendergast, T. J., Rocker, G. M., & Truog, R. D. (2008). An official American Thoracic Society clinical policy statement: Palliative care for patients with respiratory diseases and critical illnesses. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 177(8), 912-927. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200605-587ST. Sourced from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4130003/

  2. Ho, A. H. Y., Tan-Ho, G., Tan, J. S., Leong, I. Y. O., & Pang, W. S. (2014). A concordance study on the awareness and preferences of healthcare professionals towards end-of-life care in Singapore. Annals of Palliative Medicine, 3(3), 101-109. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2224-5820.2014.06.02. Sourced from https://apm.amegroups.org/article/view/4068/html

  3. Ji, Y., Luo, L., & Zhang, X. (2023). Current research trends and challenges in palliative care: A systematic review of systematic reviews. BMC Palliative Care, 22(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01192-7. Sourced from https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-023-01192-7

  4. Wijesinghe, D. S. K. (2015). Team approaches in palliative care. University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Sourced from http://www.dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/11689/Team%20approaches%20in%20palliative%20care.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y