Clinical Care Experience of Multidisciplinary Professionals in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the characteristics of medical care for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by examining the most memorable experiences of multidisciplinary medical professionals involved in patient care.

METHODS

In a questionnaire, "the most impressive thing about the experience" was efficiently categorized using inductive thematic coding. Responses were categorized using keywords, and similar content was categorized using codes. The instances of each quantified item were calculated by expressing them as numbers and frequencies. Furthermore, representative quotations and context-specific nuances were analyzed to investigate the emotional and ethical dimensions of each category.

RESULTS

Questionnaires were distributed to 269 medical professionals treating patients with ALS at three hospitals in the western region of Kanagawa Prefecture. Of these, 164 (60%) responded to the questionnaire, and 143 were included (valid response rate: 53%). Based on the questionnaire responses, the experiences of the medical professionals were classified into 27 categories. Medical professionals are continuously involved in fulfilling the wishes of patients as much as possible, realizing individuality and patient commitment, and intervening without giving up.

CONCLUSION

For multidisciplinary medical professionals involved in the care of patients with ALS in clinical practice, the most memorable experiences coincided with those associated with the challenges of ALS care.