BUILDING BRIDGES: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM EXPERIENCE REPORT ON EATING DISORDERS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to describe the multi and interdisciplinary experience of a health workers team named Eating Disorders Care Group (EDCG / GRATA in Portuguese). This group is carried out in the Nutrology Ambulatory of the University Hospital of the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University, Brazil. This paper focuses on the human resources and the multiple ways of coping with the practical situations of care in both hospital and outpatient clinic context. The model of care proposed by GRATA is described as an example of a praxis that elects the interdisciplinary approach as a guideline for the construction of knowledge and health intervention considering the multiple dimensions of the ill-health process. The living knowledge is constructed from the convergence of different disciplinary perspectives. Some experiences are reported in order to illustrate the comprehensive intervention in health care. Care, teaching and research development are integrated for the construction of a care practice. The health workers team has with time developed a commitment to understand the concrete life conditions and the interest of the assisted population. It is concluded that the interdisciplinary approach is the most appropriate to tackle the complexity of eating disorders and overcome the biomedical model of health care.