title: Multidisciplinary management of complex care.
abstract: Rural and remote areas of Australia are facing serious health workforce shortages. Multidisciplinary teams are one way of making the most of the rural workforce. In this paper, the advantages of multidisciplinary care in terms of patient outcomes, clinician satisfaction and system efficiency are considered with reference to an innovative rural multidisciplinary model that highlights how these positive outcomes can be achieved. Ways of developing the capacity of the future workforce for work in multidisciplinary teams are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Northern Rivers University Department of Rural Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. deborah.schofield@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tyrell
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*