A Swiss Health Care Professionals’ Perspective on the Meaning of Interprofessional Collaboration in Health Care of People with MS—A Focus Group Study

Fabienne Schmid, Slavko Rogan and Andrea Glässel
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Fabienne Schmid: Department of Health Professions, Division of Physiotherapy Bern, Bern University of Applied Sciences, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
Slavko Rogan: Department of Health Professions, Division of Physiotherapy Bern, Bern University of Applied Sciences, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
Andrea Glässel: Institute of Biomedical Ethics and Medical History, University Zurich, Winterthurer Strasse 30, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system mainly of adults ranging from 20 to 45 years of age. The risk of developing MS is 50% higher in women than in men. Most people with MS (PwMS) experience a spectrum of symptoms such as spasticity, continence dysfunctions, fatigue, or neurobehavioral manifestations. Due to the complexity of MS and the variety of patient-centered needs, a comprehensive approach of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) of multiple health care professionals (HCP) is necessary. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the meaning of IPC in the comprehensive care of PwMS from a HCP perspective. Focus groups (FG) with HCP were conducted, recorded, and transcribed verbatim. The sample contained HCP from three MS clinics in different phases of care and rehabilitation. Four main categories emerged: (a) experience with IPC, (b) relevant aspects for IPC in patients’ treatment, (c) differences in in- and outpatient settings, and (d) influence of patient perspective. IPC plays a crucial role in HCP perspective when treating PwMS, which can benefit from an IPC therapeutic approach because HCP work together in a patient-centered way. The inpatient setting of HCP strongly supports the implementation of IPC. This prerequisite does not exist in outpatient settings.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis; health care professionals; qualitative research; focus groups; narration; interprofessional collaboration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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