Multidisciplinary clinic with HOF: how to organize it
A multidisciplinary clinic brings together, under one roof, professionals from different fields: dentistry, aesthetics, nutrition, physical therapy, dermatology, among others. Orofacial harmonization (HOF) fits well in this arrangement, because the face interacts with teeth, skin, posture and habits. But putting specialties together is not the same as integrating them. Without a flow, it becomes a condominium of rooms, where the patient moves around alone and no one sees the complete plan.
This guide shows how to organize what really makes a difference: the patient's path between professionals, responsibilities, patient records, scheduling and communication. See also opening an orofacial harmonization clinic and HOF in the dental clinic.
What sets a multidisciplinary clinic apart from rented rooms?
The difference is integration. In a true multidisciplinary clinic, professionals share patients, processes and standards. In a rented room, each one is independent and only shares the space. Both models work, but they have different requirements.
| Aspect | Integrated multidisciplinary | Independent rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Patients | Move between professionals, with a common plan | Each professional has their own |
| Brand | A single brand | Each professional has their own |
| Patient record | Shared when needed and authorized | Separate |
| Standards | Common (consent form, guidance, service) | Individual |
| Costs | Split by an agreed rule | Rent or revenue share |
For the second model, see rented room or own clinic and revenue share for rented rooms in HOF.
How do you design the patient's path?
The patient should not need to understand the clinic's internal structure. They need an entry point and a clear flow. One possible sequence:
Think about who the patient's point of contact is. Without one, they talk to five people and no one answers for the whole.
How do you define who does what?
This is the biggest legal and ethical risk. Each act must be performed by someone qualified to do it, according to the rules of their professional council. This is not the clinic's decision or marketing's. When there are doubts about scope of practice, the guidance of each professional's council prevails.
A few practices help:
- A written description of each professional's activities in the clinic.
- An individual contract with responsibilities and revenue shares. See articles of association of the HOF clinic and partner in the HOF clinic.
- A formally designated responsible professional. See responsible professional of the HOF clinic.
- Informed consent forms per procedure, signed by the patient, stating who performs it. See informed consent in HOF: the basis of your defense.
- A complication protocol common to everyone. See recording a complication in HOF.
How do you handle patient records and data across specialties?
Sharing patient information among professionals is necessary for care, but health data is sensitive. Define rules:
- What is shared and with whom, only what is needed for care.
- Inform the patient and, depending on the legal basis, obtain consent when needed.
- Access control by role, with a log of who viewed the record.
- Retention and period of the record agreed on. See retention period for HOF patient records and electronic patient records for HOF.
- Photographs with consent per purpose. See LGPD in the clinic's patient records and photos. The LGPD is Brazil's General Data Protection Law.
How do you organize scheduling and the front desk?
The front desk is the heart of the multidisciplinary flow. It needs to know which professional handles what, how long each visit takes and how to fit patients from more than one specialty into the same day.
- An integrated schedule that shows each professional's availability.
- Visit durations configured per service.
- A follow-up block: reserve slots for follow-up visits.
- A front desk script that does not steer the patient toward a procedure: the front desk informs, it does not recommend. See front desk of the HOF clinic.
- Fast internal communication among professionals, through a dedicated channel and without patient data in open groups.
How do you split costs and revenue without conflict?
Poorly agreed money destroys partnerships. Define up front:
| Item | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Fixed costs | How are rent, support staff and cleaning split? |
| Supplies | Does each person buy their own, or is there a shared purchase? |
| Marketing | Who pays and who benefits? |
| Revenue share | A percentage of net revenue, fixed or mixed? |
| Non-payment | Who absorbs the loss? |
| Partner or professional leaving | What happens to patients and records? |
See commission for partner professionals in HOF, fixed and variable costs of the clinic and accountant for the HOF clinic.
How do you communicate the clinic without confusing the patient?
The clinic's brand should explain what it offers without promising what each professional can do beyond their qualification. Prefer describing services and professionals with their registrations, instead of broad slogans. See positioning the HOF clinic and name and brand of the HOF clinic.
How does an illustrative projection help the joint plan?
When several professionals take part, the patient gets lost between the steps. Visualizing the idea of the plan helps align expectations. In Harmy, you photograph the patient from the front, mark the areas, set the ml and generate an illustrative projection. It supports the conversation between professional and patient, and does not replace each specialty's assessment.
What common mistakes appear in this model?
The first is bringing professionals together without agreeing on rules: each one charges differently, uses a different consent form and the patient notices the lack of standard. The second is the front desk recommending procedures, which is not its role. The third is competition for patients between specialties, instead of building a common plan. The fourth is advertising that mixes services and promises competences. The fifth is the absence of an exit plan, which leaves patients and records with no destination when a professional leaves. A short monthly meeting among the professionals, to align on cases, processes and questions, prevents most of these problems.
Frequently asked questions
How does a multidisciplinary clinic with HOF work?
It brings professionals from different fields under one roof, with a referral flow between them. HOF usually integrates with fields such as dentistry, dermatology, nutrition and physical therapy, as long as each professional acts within the rules of their professional council.
How do you avoid responsibility conflicts among professionals?
Define in writing who is responsible for each act, who does the initial assessment, who follows the patient and how complications are communicated. Each professional's contract and the informed consent form should reflect this.
Is the patient record shared in a multidisciplinary clinic?
It depends on the organization and on the legal basis for sharing. Access should be limited to what is needed for care, with a log of who accesses it, and the patient should be informed.
Is it worth having HOF inside a multidisciplinary clinic?
It can be, thanks to the exchange between specialties and the shared structure. But it requires organized processes, a clear division of costs and aligned care standards, or the whole loses quality.