Multidisciplinary approach between physicians and physiotherapists in urogynecology: how can we make it stronger?

Excerpt

Within the field of urogynecology, most societies have written guidelines recommending patient treatment with the assistance of more than one healthcare professional [1‐3]. There are studies showing that the communication between healthcare professionals and the knowledge of each other’s roles and definitions are key factors that lead to a successful team and optimal patient outcomes [4]. Urogynecology is a field with a well-established role for physiotherapists; however, the term physiotherapy is often mistakenly used by physicians and other health professionals to be synonymous with physiotherapeutic resources or conservative treatment [5]. Physiotherapy is defined as services provided by physiotherapists to individuals and populations that seek to develop, maintain, and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan [6]. The work of the physiotherapist focused in urogynecology originated within a broader role in women’s health physiotherapy [7]. Women’s health physiotherapists provide health promotion, prevention, and rehabilitation, not only in urogynecology but also in breast diseases and obstetrics, being active throughout the woman’s life cycle. Moreover, pelvic floor physiotherapy is a term used to designate the physiotherapy work focused on the pelvic floor issues of children, men or women. Despite the amount of evidence-based literature demonstrating the role of physiotherapy in this area, randomized controlled trials (RCT) on cost-effectiveness and studies on the barriers and facilitators for the teamwork of physicians and physiotherapists in urogynecology are scarce. …