Multidisciplinary teams in cancer care: are they effective in the UK?
Cancer care can be complex, and given the wide range and numbers of health-care professionals involved, an enormous potential for poor coordination and miscommunication exists. Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) should improve coordination, communication, and decision making between health-care team members and patients, and hopefully produce more positive outcomes. This review describes the many practical barriers to the successful implementation of MDT working, and shows that despite an increase in the delivery of cancer services via this method, research showing the effectiveness of MDT working is scarce.
Fleissig
Anne
A
Cancer Research UK Psychosocial Oncology Group, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, UK.
Jenkins
Valerie
V
Catt
Susan
S
Fallowfield
Lesley
L
D003144:Communication Barriers; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D006113:United Kingdom