A Qualitative Study of XXXX Clinic Use in the United States.

@entity1 @entity746
OBJECTIVES: The multidisciplinary clinic (MDC) has become the standard of care for individuals with @entity746 ( @entity746 ) in the United States, yet many @entity1 choose not to receive care at MDCs. We undertook a qualitative study of individuals with @entity746 to explore @entity1 ' perceptions of this form of service delivery. METHODS: @entity1 completed an online survey that posed open-ended questions about their attitudes and behaviors surrounding MCDs. Qualitative analysis was performed whereby response data was evaluated and grouped into themes. RESULTS: The unique aspect of MDCs most commonly cited by @entity1 was integrated care. Other reasons for attending MDC included those common to specialist centers, such as expertise, access to clinical trials, and participation in research. Perceived disadvantages unique to the MDC model were long and tiring visits. In common with many specialist centers, long travel times were cited as a disadvantage of MDCs. CONCLUSIONS: This information provides a foundation for improving @entity746 care. For those able to travel, the MDC model has much to offer, but @entity1 ' time should be respected. For those @entity1 who cannot travel, alternative models of care should be devised to provide integrated care, clinical expertise, and access to research.
