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Functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are common and a source of significant morbidity and healthcare-related costs.

A recent study published in evaluated, in a randomized design, a multidisciplinary care model compared with the standard-of-care model on a variety of health-related patient-reported outcomes and cost-effectiveness metrics. Patients in the multidisciplinary clinic experienced superior clinical outcomes compared with those receiving standard of care with a single gastroenterologist.

A unique aspect of this study was the availability of long-term follow-up data at 12 months. The multidisciplinary clinic was associated with improved long-term outcomes, as well. Overall, this study supports the use of multidisciplinary care models for functional gastrointestinal disorders, though studies are ongoing.

Michelle Long, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the department of medicine, section of gastroenterology, at Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.

You can read an interview with the lead study author here, and the abstract of the study here.