Working effectively with treating teams: a collaborative approach to client rehabilitation

Make the right start

Aaron believes that successful rehabilitation programs share several key elements. “Start with a clearly articulated final SMART rehabilitation goal in mind with a realistic timeframe,” he advises.

This approach ensures that every action the rehabilitation consultant takes helps progress the client toward achieving their goal.

It’s important to remember, however, that flexibility is essential.

Rehabilitation goals often need adapting throughout the journey, and successful consultants will be able to pivot while maintaining clear communication with all stakeholders, including clients, case managers, employers, insurers, and the treating medical team.

Establish clear communication pathways

This is one of the most critical aspects of rehabilitation coordination.

To do it successfully, Aaron recommends a proactive approach.

“Identify all parties who are involved in the client’s care. Call them and introduce yourself, explain your role, and organise early and regular case conferences you attend in person.”

It’s also important to understand each person’s preferred communication method.

Some GPs prefer in-person meetings while treating physiotherapists might be more accessible by phone, and psychologists may respond better to email.

This tailored approach to communication significantly improves coordination efficiency.

And you can’t be too organised. Good habits, like putting clients’ medical appointments in your diary, make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Aligning team members with client goals

For successful rehabilitation and recovery, all team members need to be working toward the same goals. It takes a conscious effort to make this happen.

What works for Aaron is to discuss these goals with all team members at the start, ensuring everyone is on the same page and is committed to supporting the client through their rehabilitation journey.

“Rehabilitation consultants are ideally placed to coordinate an integrated approach that helps the client progress towards their rehabilitation goal,” Aaron explains.

This coordination involves regular communication with all treatment team members and summarising information into key messages for each interaction.

Overcoming common challenges

There are some challenges often faced when working with diverse treating teams:

• Misunderstanding or disagreement about goals
• Inconsistent or unclear communication
• Treatment providers working in isolation
• Progress is not being shared across the team

He shares a simple example.

“Progress reported by a physiotherapist regarding a client’s safe lifting capacity should enable an upgrade on the subsequent work capacity certificate by the GP.”

This type of information sharing requires active coordination but really accelerates recovery outcomes.

Maintaining client-centred care

With multiple professionals involved, it’s crucial to keep the client at the centre of care. Aaron’s strategies include:

• Regular review of what’s best for the client’s recovery
• Ensuring all treatments add value to the rehabilitation program
• Supporting clients who feel overwhelmed by the size of their treatment team
• Helping identify and prioritise the most important treatments at each stage

A success story

Aaron shares a complex case from his current practice: a client who developed unexplained symptoms in May 2024 and was unable to work from mid-August.

Despite seeing multiple specialists ­ rheumatologist, dermatologist, gynaecologist, and psychologist - no clear diagnosis emerged.

“Regular communication with all treatment providers enabled this client to start and sustain a suitable graduated return to work program from mid-February 2025,” Aaron reports.

“Ensuring all providers have the relevant information to consider as each decision along the rehabilitation journey is made, has been essential.”

It’s a simple example of how collaborative approaches can achieve positive outcomes even when you don’t have a complete diagnostic picture.

Advice for new rehabilitation consultants

If you’re new to working with multidisciplinary teams, Aaron has some simple tips:

• Meet treatment providers in person where possible
• Be proactive in communication
• Act as the information conduit within the team
• Keep clients accountable to their rehabilitation goals
• Organise regular case conferences
• Seek assistance from experienced colleagues when needed

A handy habit to get into is to present case studies to your colleagues to discuss and get ideas about engaging effectively with multidisciplinary teams.

He emphasises that this type of collaborative problem-solving leads to valuable peer support and learning opportunities.