title: Development and initial outcomes of an upper gastrointestinal multidisciplinary clinic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer are often comorbid and require complex surgical treatments for their cancers, meaning that their preoperative assessment can be based around numerous outpatient assessments with multiple services. A multidisciplinary clinic (MDC) was developed for the assessment of patients with confirmed or suspected upper gastrointestinal cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Face-to-face meetings were held between stakeholder services at Waitemata District Health Board, and clinic resource allocated. Significant IT modification of existing clinic booking software was required.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between September 2014, and September 2015, there were a total of 165 new patient, and 710 follow-up appointments. All new patients were seen by a surgeon and then other specialties. Of the 165 new patient appointments, 146 (88%) patients had a definitive treatment plan in place and were cleared by anaesthesia and intensive care at the end of the clinic. Staff and patients report high levels of satisfaction for the clinic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A dedicated MDC has provided a single forum where complex patients can be reviewed, and a definitive treatment plan formulated in nearly 90% of patients, even when this involves multiple medical and paramedical specialties with high levels of patient and clinician satisfaction.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wylie
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casement
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McIlree
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mulholland
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Volkova
authors.forename: Erna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van der Watt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary Surgeon, Department of Surgery, North Shore Hospital, Private Bag 93505, Takapuna, Auckland 0620, New Zealand. jonathan.koea@waitematadhb.govt.nz.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koea
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation