Cross-sectoral collaboration among hospital professionals on rehabilitation for patients with neuromuscular diseases

Introduction: Living with a neuromuscular disease often leads to a need for specialized rehabilitation due to the complexity and progression of the diseases. Aim: To investigate cross-sectoral collaboration on rehabilitation for patients with neuromuscular diseases among hospital professionals to inform future targeted rehabilitation services. Patients & methods: The design was qualitative using the interpretive description methodology and the theoretical lens of symbolic interactionism. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted, and 50 hospital professionals included, 19 of whom were interviewed. Results & conclusion: The results emphasize the importance of relations when collaborating across sectors. The professionals acted and made choices in relation to dilemmas and influences of diagnosis and progression, professional demarcations in multiprofessional teams, and cross-sectoral collaboration toward a mutual goal.What is this article about? The term neuromuscular disease covers several chronic hereditary subtypes including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuromuscular diseases affect the neuromuscular system and cause symptoms like muscle weakness, dysphagia and respiratory problems. By contrast, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative rapidly progressive disease, in most patients entails impaired mobility, speech and breathing, and a shortening of their lifespans, with the median survival time being 3 years. This calls for rehabilitation services to support patients with neuromuscular diseases in preserving their functioning level for a longer time, and postponing decreased functioning, hospital admissions and dependency on help. Therefore, this study investigated cross-sectoral collaboration on rehabilitation for patients with neuromuscular diseases among hospital professionals to inform the counseling and guidance of future targeted rehabilitation services. The results from this qualitative study are based on an ethnographic fieldwork generating interview and observation data from 50 hospital professionals. What were the results? The results illustrate how the hospital professionals acted and made choices based on meaning: dilemmas and influence of diagnosis and progression, professional demarcations in multiprofessional teams and cross-sectoral collaboration toward a mutual goal. What do the results of the study mean? The results emphasize the importance of relations between hospital professionals when collaborating across sectors in the complex field of neuromuscular diseases. The professionals were challenged by diagnosis and disease progression when prioritizing rehabilitation initiatives. There is a need for all professions to contribute to the collaboration toward a shared goal.