Building an integrated multidisciplinary swallowing disorder clinic: considerations, challenges, and opportunities

Dysphagia is a complex condition with numerous causes, symptoms, and treatments. As such, patients with dysphagia commonly require a multidisciplinary approach to their evaluation and treatment. Integrated multidisciplinary clinics provide an optimal format for a collaborative approach to patient care. In this manuscript, we will discuss considerations for teams looking to build a multidisciplinary dysphagia clinic, including what professionals are typically involved, what patients benefit most from this approach, what tests are most appropriate for which symptoms, financial issues, and traversing interpersonal challenges. In this perspective, we advocate for the development of integrated multidisciplinary swallowing disorders clinics, with careful planning and consideration of factors, such as which professionals to include routinely, which patient populations are best suited by this approach, and how to structure the financial and interpersonal aspects of the clinic.