title: Utilization trends at a multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinic: initial 5-year experience from the Duke Prostate Center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The multidisciplinary approach is becoming increasingly encouraged but little is known about the multidisciplinary experience compared to routine care. For patients with prostate cancer the goal is to provide evaluations by urologists, medical and radiation oncologists at a single visit. Although additional resources are required, this strategy may enhance the overall health care experience. We compared utilization determinants between a multidisciplinary and a urology prostate cancer clinic at Duke University Medical Center and identified factors associated with pursuing treatment at the university medical center for multidisciplinary clinic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed data on patients referred for primary prostate cancer treatment evaluation at Duke University Medical Center from 2005 to 2009. Comparisons between 701 multidisciplinary clinic and 1,318 urology prostate cancer clinic patients were examined with the rank sum and chi-square tests. Predictive factors for pursuing treatment at the university medical center were assessed using multivariate adjusted logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to patients at the urology prostate cancer clinic those at the multidisciplinary clinic were more likely to be younger and white, have a higher income and travel a longer distance for evaluation. Of multidisciplinary clinic patients 58% pursued primary treatment at the university medical center. They were more likely to be younger, black and physician referred, have a lower income and reside closer to the medical center. Factors predictive of pursuing treatment at the medical center included high risk disease and physician referral. Factors predictive of not receiving care at the university medical center were income greater than $40,000 and a distance traveled of greater than 100 miles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A different patient demographic is using the multidisciplinary approach. However, when treatment is pursued at the institution providing multidisciplinary services, the patient demographic resembles that of the treating institution.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne Biehn
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Lionel L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Bañez
authors.forename: Cary N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Freedland
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Polascik
authors.forename: Donghua
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Bridget F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Koontz
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vujaskovic
authors.forename: W Robert
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Phillip G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Febbo
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Judd W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Moul
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors