The 32nd biannual meeting of the Barany Society was held from August 25th-28th, 2024 in Uppsala, Sweden and attracted over 800 vestibular experts from around the world. Founded in 1960 in honor of the Nobel-prize winning physician-scientist Robert Barany, this year’s conference highlighted over 400 presentations on a variety of clinical and basic science topics regarding vestibular medicine, the conference was a wealth of cutting-edge knowledge and clinical experience. Think of it like a vestibular think tank, fostering innovation in vestibular healthcare that will lead to faster diagnosis, more effective treatments, and better outcomes for people struggling with vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance.
As part of the program, a panel regarding the multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach for diagnosis and management of dizzy patients was held on Monday, August 25th. Moderated by Joel A Goebel, MD, the panel consisted of the following experts:
- Alexandre Bisdorff, MD Luxembourg (Neurology)
- Devin McCaslin, PhD USA (Audiology)
- Louisa Murdin, MD United Kingdom (Audiovestibular Medicine)
- Peter Rea, MD United Kingdom (Neurotology)
- Jeffrey Staab MD USA (Psychiatry)
- Michael Strupp MD Germany (Neurology)
- Raymond van de Berg MD Netherlands (Otology)
- Susan Whitney PhD USA (Physical Therapy)
Using audience participation via phone text, the panel was able to see and comment on the audience response on questions regarding practice patterns. Here is a summary of the responses regarding practice patterns:
- 61% practice within an established MDT
- 94% diagnosis by MD team member
- 52% Diagnosis before treatment
- 31% Treatment while awaiting MD appointment
- 62% Vestibular tests after first visit based on exam
- 45% Use TeleHealth
- 33% Willing to try TeleHealth
- 99% Practice currently or willing to practice within an in-person or virtual MDT
A full summary of the MDT audience responses and panel comments is being submitted to the Journal of Vestibular Research.
Overall, the panel consensus was positive for the MDT team approach and how each specialty plays an integral role in the care of the dizzy patient. The multidisciplinary approach is essential to vestibular healthcare because there is no one specialty that “owns” this discipline. It takes a talented team of healthcare professionals with additional training in vestibular medicine focused within their own scope of practice collaborating and communicating to support patients on their road to recovery. Medical doctors are responsible for investigating the cause of symptoms and assigning a diagnosis, audiologists perform tests to inform this process, and physical therapists evaluate functional deficits and create a treatment plan. Unfortunately, patients are often bounced from provider to provider, leading to gaps in care. A multidisciplinary team works together, leveraging their respective expertise, which leads to better patient outcomes.
Although practice patterns varied amongst the panelists, the dominant themes were the importance of an accurate medical diagnosis and the role each member of the MDT played in patient management. Going forward, the audience and the panel were in favor of creating new MDTs for the sake of optimal patient care.