Bridging the Gap Between Recommendations and Practice: Real-World Insights on Multidisciplinary Care in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction from a National Survey

Pelizzari L1, Signorini C2, Caramazza D3, Balsamo R4, Bevacqua M5, Nugnes M6, Balzarini F7, Giardina R8, Musco S9, Giammò A10, Savoca F11, Gubbiotti M12

Research Type

Clinical

Abstract Category

Health Services Delivery

Best in Category Prize: Health Services Delivery
Abstract 26
From Prevention to Public Health and Health Services
Scientific Podium Short Oral Session 4
Wednesday 7th October 2026
11:37 - 11:45
Parallel Hall 2
Pelvic Floor Prevention Questionnaire Quality of Life (QoL) Rehabilitation
1. AUSL Piacenza,Dept. of Rehabilitative Medicine, Italy, 2. ASST Rhodense, Dept. of Urology, Italy, 3. Isola Tiberina Hospital, Dept. of Gynecology, Roma, Italy, 4. Monaldi Hospital, Dept. of Urology, Napoli, Italy, 5. S. Rosa Hospital, Dept. of Urology, Viterbo, Italy, 6. S. Maria d. Grazie Hospital, Dept. of Urology, Pozzuoli, Italy, 7. IRCCS S. Martino, Dept. of Urology, Genova, Italy, 8. University of Catania, Dept. of Urology, Italy, 9. Careggi Hospital, Neuro-urology section. Firenze, Italy, 10. Città Della Salute e Della Scienza di Torino, CTO-Spinal Cord Unit, Torino, Italy, 11. Cannizzaro Hospital, Dept. of Urology, Catania, Italy, 12. Valdarno Hospital, Dept. of Urology, Montevarchi (AR), Italy
Presenter
Links

Abstract

Hypothesis / aims of study
Pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFDs) represent a highly prevalent and complex group of conditions with significant impact on quality of life and healthcare systems. International guidelines strongly recommend a multidisciplinary approach to optimize both prevention and long-term management. However, the real-world implementation of such models remains inconsistent and poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate current patterns of multidisciplinary collaboration, organizational structures, and perceived unmet needs among healthcare professionals involved in pelvic floor care.
Study design, materials and methods
#PrevenSURVEY is a national, cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted within the Italian Society of Urodynamics (SIUD) network. Healthcare professionals involved in PFD management, including urologists, gynecologists, physiatrists, physiotherapists, nurses, midwives and proctologists were invited to partecipate. The survey explored access to multidisciplinary teams, availability of structured diagnostic-therapeutic pathways (PDTA), perceived effectiveness of collaboration, organizational barriers, and priorities for improvement. Descriptive statistics were used, and subgroup comparison were performed using chi-square tests.
Results
A total of 224 respondents completed the survey. Participants were mainly urologists (37%), physiotherapists (18%), nurses (17%) and gynecologists (12%), with the majority working in public healthcare settings (76%). Only 30% reported access to a structured multidisciplinary team, while 31% relied on informal collaboration and 39% had no access to any team-based approach. Formalized PDTA pathways were available in less than 20% of cases. Access to multidisciplinary care significantly differed across professional groups (p<0.05), with lower availability reported among physiotherapists and nurses. Among those with established collaboration, urologists (63%) and gynecologists (59%) were the most frequently involved specialists. Nearly all respondents (99%) considered multidisciplinary pathways essential for effective prevention and management. The clinical scenarios most frequently identified as requiring a multidisciplinary approach included neurogenic pelvic floor dysfunction, chronic pelvic pain, and post-surgical rehabilitation. Major barriers included organizational constraints (70%), lack of institutionalized pathways (65%), and insufficient interprofessional communication (60%). Importantly, respondents without access to multidisciplinary teams reported significantly lower perceived effectiveness of care (p<0.01).
Interpretation of results
This study highlights a critical gap between guideline recommendations and real-world clinical practice. Despite strong consensus on the importance of multidisciplinary care, its implementation remains fragmented and largely dependent on informal collaboration. Organizational and structural limitations appear to be the primary barriers, rather than lack of clinical awareness. These findings underline the need for scalable and reproducible organizational models to ensure equitable access to multidisciplinary pelvic floor care across different healthcare settings.
Concluding message
#PrevenSURVEY provides real-world evidence of the urgent need to develop and implement structured multidisciplinary models in pelvic floor care. Standardized pathways, institutional support, and improved interprofessional integration are essential to enhance prevention strategies and optimize patient outcomes.
Disclosures
Funding None Clinical Trial No Subjects None AI Not at all
07/06/2026 03:06:07