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Waiting times for cancer treatment: The impact of multi-disciplinary team meetings

Publication ,  Journal Article
Goolam-Hossen, T; Metcalfe, C; Cameron, A; Rocos, B; Falk, S; Blazeby, JM
Published in: Behaviour and Information Technology
July 1, 2011

In the UK, treatment recommendations for patients with cancer are all made within multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings. This has benefits, but it may delay treatment starting if MDT decisions require revision before implementation. This study examined whether changes in MDT treatment decisions after the meeting led to a delay in the start of treatment. Consecutive MDT treatment recommendations were recorded and times to start of treatment were calculated. Comparisons of the time from MDT meeting to start of treatment were made between implemented and non-implemented MDT recommendations. Of 363 MDT recommendations, 71 (19.5%, 95% CIs 15.6-24.0) were not implemented. The median time to start of treatment was 24 days (IQR 12-33), increasing to 35 days (IQR 17-77.5), if the MDT decision required revision to another active therapy (p=0.009). Decisions were changed because details about co-morbidity (n=32, 45%), new clinical information (n=24, 34%) or patient choice became apparent (n=13, 18%) and two changed for no clear reason. Significant delays in starting treatment occur if team treatment recommendations are not implemented. Effort and resources are required to ensure that information is present at meetings to allow comprehensive patient-centred decisions to be made and implemented. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Behaviour and Information Technology

DOI

EISSN

1362-3001

ISSN

0144-929X

Publication Date

July 1, 2011

Volume

30

Issue

4

Start / End Page

467 / 471

Related Subject Headings

  • Human Factors
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 4608 Human-centred computing
  • 3503 Business systems in context
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 08 Information and Computing Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Goolam-Hossen, T., Metcalfe, C., Cameron, A., Rocos, B., Falk, S., & Blazeby, J. M. (2011). Waiting times for cancer treatment: The impact of multi-disciplinary team meetings. Behaviour and Information Technology, 30(4), 467–471. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2011.553747
Goolam-Hossen, T., C. Metcalfe, A. Cameron, B. Rocos, S. Falk, and J. M. Blazeby. “Waiting times for cancer treatment: The impact of multi-disciplinary team meetings.” Behaviour and Information Technology 30, no. 4 (July 1, 2011): 467–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2011.553747.
Goolam-Hossen T, Metcalfe C, Cameron A, Rocos B, Falk S, Blazeby JM. Waiting times for cancer treatment: The impact of multi-disciplinary team meetings. Behaviour and Information Technology. 2011 Jul 1;30(4):467–71.
Goolam-Hossen, T., et al. “Waiting times for cancer treatment: The impact of multi-disciplinary team meetings.” Behaviour and Information Technology, vol. 30, no. 4, July 2011, pp. 467–71. Scopus, doi:10.1080/0144929X.2011.553747.
Goolam-Hossen T, Metcalfe C, Cameron A, Rocos B, Falk S, Blazeby JM. Waiting times for cancer treatment: The impact of multi-disciplinary team meetings. Behaviour and Information Technology. 2011 Jul 1;30(4):467–471.

Published In

Behaviour and Information Technology

DOI

EISSN

1362-3001

ISSN

0144-929X

Publication Date

July 1, 2011

Volume

30

Issue

4

Start / End Page

467 / 471

Related Subject Headings

  • Human Factors
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 4608 Human-centred computing
  • 3503 Business systems in context
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 08 Information and Computing Sciences