**6. The collaborative interprofessional team strategies to holistic wellbeing of spinal cord injured individuals**

The efficacious healthcare management of spinal cord injured individuals necessitates a combination a clinical and therapeutic team approach [35]. Ferguson reported that there three types of interprofessional clinical and therapeutic team strategies can be adopted; multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary [52]. Although these terms are interchangeable used to highlight the collaborative nature of inter-professions within the clinical and therapeutic fraternities, there are distinct differences among them [51].

## **6.1 Multidisciplinary**

Jefferies and Chan describe the multidisciplinary team strategy as the elementary mechanism with demarcated professional boundaries involved in holistic healthcare for patients throughout their pathological prognosis, transcending across the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare phases [53]. The multidisciplinary team comprise of clinical and therapeutic practitioners who coordinate the contribution with little to no overlap. Each profession functions independently, but analogous towards a shared goal; acknowledging each other's contributions towards the mutual success [54]. Each profession drafts individual patient progress reports, which is shared at regular team meetings and as such does not emphasize an integrated approach to care.

### **6.2 Interdisciplinary**

In the interdisciplinary approach, there is an overlap in practice among the practitioners towards a mutual goal within the singular unified management plan. As opposed to the multidisciplinary approach, each practitioner builds on the other's expertise to achieve mutual success. The spinal cord injured individuals progress is communicated through written reports at regular team meetings; however these reports review the overall patient goals and progress rather than individual profession goals and progress [34]. The interdisciplinary team is popular among inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation centers. This approach is based on respect of each profession and person and the wellbeing of the patient is of primary concern.

**115**

*The Interprofessional Clinical and Therapeutic Team Strategy to Manage Spinal Cord Injuries*

Among the transdisciplinary team approach is common overlapping of responsibilities across healthcare professions, which insists on optimal communication, co-operation and interaction among practitioners. Clinical and therapeutic practitioners mutually communicate, exchange strategies and reciprocally function. In this approach, there is no hierarchy among practitioners. There is a high level of respect, co-operation and communication among practitioners [35]. The entwined nature of transdisciplinary team approach has the capacity to broaden the skill sets of each practitioner within the team because of their interaction with each. However this team has the potential to be most explosive because the overlap in responsibilities could be mistaken as disrespect for a

Kirshblum and Fergusson reported that the integrated nature of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams is the fundamental difference between these strategic team approaches as opposed to the multidisciplinary team, which does not emphasize an assimilated approach to care [53, 54]. The interdisciplinary clinical and therapeutic team strategy towards spinal cord injured individuals has proven to

This chapter highlights the need and importance of habitual physical activity and exercise to assist the spinal cord injured individual maintain a healthy life free from non-communicable diseases and secondary cardiorespiratory pathologies. Further the effectiveness of an interprofessional clinical and therapeutic strategy should be careful considered to help manage the lifestyle of the spinal cord injured

The authors would like to thank the financial contribution of Tshwane

University of Technology towards the publication of this chapter

The authors declare no conflict of interest

be most effectiveness among the three team approaches [55].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94850*

**6.3 Transdisciplinary**

particular discipline.

**7. Conclusion**

individual.

**Acknowledgements**

**Conflict of interest**

*The Interprofessional Clinical and Therapeutic Team Strategy to Manage Spinal Cord Injuries DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94850*

## **6.3 Transdisciplinary**

*Therapy Approaches in Neurological Disorders*

Clinical psychologists focus their efforts to prevent and rehabilitate a variety of psychological problems affecting individuals and families post spinal injury. The psychologist may select various psychological counseling techniques, intended to enhance their spinal cord injured individuals sense of control over these problems, as well as become acquaint with resources that they may employ to overcome their problems. The psychologist also assists the spinal cord injured individuals family to deal with the traumatic event. On occasion the attending psychologist may refer the patient to a neuropsychologist and/or psychiatrist when traditional psychological counseling is inadequate to manage the individuals' psychological problems [35]. Neuropsychologists can play a pivotal role in helping spinal cord injured individuals to address cognition dysfunction that only surface once rehabilitation

**6. The collaborative interprofessional team strategies to holistic** 

The efficacious healthcare management of spinal cord injured individuals necessitates a combination a clinical and therapeutic team approach [35]. Ferguson reported that there three types of interprofessional clinical and therapeutic team strategies can be adopted; multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary [52]. Although these terms are interchangeable used to highlight the collaborative nature of inter-professions within the clinical and therapeutic fraternities, there are

Jefferies and Chan describe the multidisciplinary team strategy as the elementary mechanism with demarcated professional boundaries involved in holistic healthcare for patients throughout their pathological prognosis, transcending across the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare phases [53]. The multidisciplinary team comprise of clinical and therapeutic practitioners who coordinate the contribution with little to no overlap. Each profession functions independently, but analogous towards a shared goal; acknowledging each other's contributions towards the mutual success [54]. Each profession drafts individual patient progress reports, which is shared at regular team meetings and as such does not emphasize

In the interdisciplinary approach, there is an overlap in practice among the practitioners towards a mutual goal within the singular unified management plan. As opposed to the multidisciplinary approach, each practitioner builds on the other's expertise to achieve mutual success. The spinal cord injured individuals progress is communicated through written reports at regular team meetings; however these reports review the overall patient goals and progress rather than individual profession goals and progress [34]. The interdisciplinary team is popular among inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation centers. This approach is based on respect of each profession and person and the wellbeing of the patient is of primary

**wellbeing of spinal cord injured individuals**

distinct differences among them [51].

**6.1 Multidisciplinary**

an integrated approach to care.

**6.2 Interdisciplinary**

**5.9 Psychologist**

begins [51].

**114**

concern.

Among the transdisciplinary team approach is common overlapping of responsibilities across healthcare professions, which insists on optimal communication, co-operation and interaction among practitioners. Clinical and therapeutic practitioners mutually communicate, exchange strategies and reciprocally function. In this approach, there is no hierarchy among practitioners. There is a high level of respect, co-operation and communication among practitioners [35]. The entwined nature of transdisciplinary team approach has the capacity to broaden the skill sets of each practitioner within the team because of their interaction with each. However this team has the potential to be most explosive because the overlap in responsibilities could be mistaken as disrespect for a particular discipline.

Kirshblum and Fergusson reported that the integrated nature of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams is the fundamental difference between these strategic team approaches as opposed to the multidisciplinary team, which does not emphasize an assimilated approach to care [53, 54]. The interdisciplinary clinical and therapeutic team strategy towards spinal cord injured individuals has proven to be most effectiveness among the three team approaches [55].
