The proliferation of multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs): how can radiology departments continue to support them all?
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the changes in multidisciplinary team meeting (MDTM) workload for consultant radiologists working in a single UK tertiary referral cancer institution, assess its impact and suggest solutions to these challenges.


METHODS
The annual number of MDTM cases was collated over a 5-year period (2009 - 2013). Qualitative information was obtained through questionnaire-based interviews of 47 consultant radiologists. Data analysed included number of MDTMs involved with, type of MDTM (oncological or non-oncological), time allocation for preparation and perceived deficiencies in the current MDTM.


RESULTS
Thirteen thousand and forty-nine cases were discussed in MDTMs in 2009 with a continued yearly increase over the 5-year period. Fifty-five percent of MDTM attendances were at oncological MDTMs. Consultant radiologists attended a median of two MDTMs per week, each requiring 4 hours time commitment; 60 % used out-of-hours time for MDTM preparation. The most frequently cited MDTM deficiency was lack of sufficient clinical input.


CONCLUSIONS
The MDTM is a challenging but worthwhile demand on the modern radiologist's time. Solutions to the increasing MDTM workload include demonstration of the benefits of MDTMs to hospital administrators to justify additional resources required, improving MDTM efficiency and ensuring this increased workload is accurately represented and remunerated in individual job plans.


CONCLUSIONS
• MDTMs improve cancer outcomes and are being recommended for non-oncological conditions. • MDTM cases have more than doubled over 5 years at our institution. • Incorporating MDTM workload into current consultant radiologist job plans is difficult. • Solutions include demonstrating MDTM related benefits, improved efficiency, and accurate job planning.
Department of Clinical Radiology, St. James' University Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Level 0 Bexley Wing, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
Ravivarma
R
Balasubramaniam
Department of Clinical Radiology, St. James' University Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Level 0 Bexley Wing, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
Manil
M
Subesinghe
Department of Clinical Radiology, St. James' University Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Level 0 Bexley Wing, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK. jonathan.smith18@nhs.net.
Jonathan T
JT
Smith
D003226:Congresses as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011871:Radiology; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload
Neoplasms; Patient care team; Radiology; Tertiary care centres; Workload