Identifying characteristics and practices of multidisciplinary team reviews for patients with severe mental illness: a systematic review

• Published in: Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2018-06, Vol.26 (3), p.267-275
• Main Authors: Woody, Charlotte A, Baxter, Amanda J, Harris, Meredith G, Siskind, Dan J, Whiteford, Harvey A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Humans; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental Health Services; Patient Care Team
• ISSN: 1039-8562; 1440-1665
• DOI: 10.1177/1039856217751783

Objectives: Multidisciplinary teams in mental health receive limited guidance, leading to inconsistent practices. We undertook a systematic review of the characteristics and practices of multidisciplinary team reviews for patients with severe mental illness or in relevant mental health service settings. Methods: Sources published since 2000 were located via academic database and web searches. Results were synthesised narratively. Results: A total of 14 sources were analysed. Important characteristics and practices identified included routine monitoring and evaluation, good communication, equality between team members, and clear documentation practices. Success factors included defined leadership and clear team goals. Four sources described considerations for patients with complex clinical needs, including allocating sufficient time for discussion, maintaining connections with community providers, and ensuring culturally sensitive practices. Conclusions: No single best practice model was found, due to variations in team caseload, casemix, and resourcing levels. However, key ingredients for success were proposed. Sources were mostly descriptive; there remains a lack of evidence-based guidance regarding multidisciplinary team review characteristics and practices.