Barriers to Respiratory Therapists' Participation in Care Planning During Multidisciplinary Team Meetings in Western Saudi Arabia

Background: Despite the significant contributions of respiratory therapists (RTs) in healthcare, their active engagement in care planning discussions remains limited. This study explored the barriers influencing respiratory therapists' participation in care planning during multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings. Methods: A qualitative research design was employed to explore these barriers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 registered RTs from the western region of Saudi Arabia. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-step approach. Results: Five superordinate themes emerged from the data, including barriers to RTs’ participation, factors enhancing RTs’ participation, the impact of RTs' inclusion in care planning, RTs’ engagement and comfort in care planning, and the effect of limited RTs’ inclusion in care planning. Participants reported hierarchical structures, under-recognition of RTs’ expertise, short staffing, and exclusion from decision-making as major barriers to RTs’ participation. Conclusions: This study identified several barriers to RTs' engagement in care planning discussions and highlighted the importance of creating strategies to improve their active participation. Addressing these barriers may enhance interprofessional collaboration, ultimately improving patient outcomes.