Is There Space for The Original MDT Meeting?Revisiting the Roots of Effective Collaboration

Photo of a coffee cup next to a laptop with online video meeting taking place.

Credit: Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Have you ever wondered if we’ve lost something valuable in our push for comprehensive, all-inclusive team meetings? The original MDT (multidisciplinary team) meeting might just be what we need to revisit.

The original MDT meeting was designed for therapists to hold case conferences and discuss a client or multiple clients. This format allowed us to delve into service frequency, progress, and collaborative strategies without external pressures.

Personally, I find these meetings incredibly helpful. They provide a safe space to discuss therapeutic approaches freely, without the fear of overwhelming the person (client) or their family. This brings us to an important question: Can we, as allied health professionals (AHPs), maintain these discussions while still involving the person and their informal supports in other ways?

Today, I often see MDT used for meetings that include all of the person’s formal NDIS supports, as well as the person themselves. This inclusion is crucial, but is there room for a mini MDT meeting? If we were working under one roof, would we really need to pause every conversation to invite the person or guardian to each discussion?

Could it be an insecurity, such as not wanting to appear unprepared in front of the person or their family/guardian? On the other hand, I’ve been in meetings with clients and their guardians where therapists are expected to have all the answers on the spot. This unrealistic expectation is not only unfair but also mirrors a disguised medical model. In this model, the person is present, but the reliance on therapists to solve every problem persists.

Is there a place for mini-team meeting collaboration? Noting the NDIS is not a hospital setting, if you were having surgery and your surgeon was consulting with other surgeons, would you want to be in every conversation? I feel there are times when therapists are supporting people with disabilities in complex situations with complex challenges or problems. In these instances, could there be a place to mini MDT collaborate and then partner with the client and families in a better way because of it?