Effectiveness of Multidisciplinary Team Collaborative Care on Health Outcomes in Older Adults with Multimorbidity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Multimorbidity, defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic conditions, affects over 65% of adults aged 65 years and older, posing significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. Multidisciplinary team (MDT) collaborative care has been advocated as a strategy to improve outcomes for this population, yet evidence on its effectiveness remains fragmented. Objective: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of MDT collaborative care interventions on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), hospital readmission, self-management, and other patient-centered outcomes in older adults (≥60 years) with multimorbidity. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. Studies evaluating MDT interventions (≥3 disciplines) for community-dwelling older adults with ≥2 chronic conditions were included. Results: Thirty studies (n = 6,842) were included. MDT collaborative care significantly improved HRQoL (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.21–0.55, p < 0.001) and reduced hospital readmission by 21% (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.71–0.88). Conclusion: MDT collaborative care significantly improves patient-centered outcomes in older adults with multimorbidity. Nurse-led models show particularly promising effects and should be prioritized in geriatric care policy.