Exploring ‘MoyaMoya’: a multidisciplinary case study workshop on emotional conflicts in clinical practice

Abstract

Objective: This study describes a multidisciplinary, multi-generational case conference focusing on healthcare professionals’ emotional conflicts and moral distress—what we call “moyamoya” in Japanese—in clinical practice.

Materials and Methods: Five hybrid conferences were co-organized by Kyoto-Min-Iren and an independent study group. In each session, one anonymized case was presented. Discussions emphasized sharing emotional conflicts without criticism or seeking conclusions and encouraged dialogue from multiple professional perspectives. Participants included physicians, nurses, medical social workers, administrative staff, and medical students.

Results: The conferences appeared to generate diverse discussions and serendipitous insights. The dialogue may have promoted reflection similar to Significant Event Analysis and may foster mutual understanding by making interprofessional perspectives visible. It also appeared to offer opportunities to reconsider the problem-solving orientation common in daily practice and to share an approach attentive to patients’ life backgrounds. For young healthcare professionals and students, it may provide practical learning about the social determinants of health through socially vulnerable cases. However, the absence of thematic limits may pose challenges in facilitating discussions and aligning participants’ interests.

Conclusion: A case conference centered on emotional conflicts may foster reflective practice, interprofessional understanding, and learning beyond technical knowledge, while requiring structural refinement to enhance practical value.