Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33676492›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2021

Improving Cancer MDT performance in Western Sydney - three years' experience.

Lynleigh Evans, Yiren Liu, Brendan Donovan, Terence Kwan, Karen Byth, Paul Harnett

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Lynleigh EvansSydney West - Translational Cancer Research Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, PO Box 533 Wentworthville, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia. Lynleigh.evans@health.nsw.gov.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4796-1952
Yiren LiuTumour Program Strengthening Initiative innovation manager (2019), Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
Brendan DonovanTumour Program Strengthening Initiative innovation manager (2018), Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
Terence KwanFaculty of Engineering and IT, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Karen BythResearch and Education Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
Paul HarnettSydney West - Translational Cancer Research Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, PO Box 533 Wentworthville, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia.
Sydney Local Health District · AUThe University of Sydney · AU

Funding

Cancer Institute NSW 2017/18_05_02(E17/16419)The University of Sydney WIPS
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) are now considered an essential part of cancer care decision-making, how they perform varies widely. The authors hypothesised that a comprehensive, multipronged improvement program, and associated annual member survey, could strengthen MDT performance across a whole cancer service.

methodsThe study comprised the introduction of a structured program, the Tumour Program Strengthening Initiative (TPSI) linked with an annual survey of member's perceptions of their performance. Three iterations of the survey have been completed (2017, 2018 and 2019). Generalised estimating equations (GEEs) were used to test for a difference in the proportion of positive survey responses between 2017 and 2019 adjusted for team clustering.

resultsTwelve teams participated in TPSI. One hundred twenty-nine, 118 and 146 members completed the survey in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Of the 17 questions that were asked in all three years, nine showed significant improvement and, of these, five were highly significant. Documenting consensus, developing Terms of Reference (TORs), establishing referral criteria and referring to clinical practice guidelines showed most improvement. Questions related to patient considerations, professional development and quality improvement (QI) activities showed no significant change.

conclusionsTPSI resulted in sustained and significant improvement. The MDT survey not only allowed MDT members to identify their strengths and weaknesses but also provided insights for management to flag priority areas for further support. Overall program improvement reflected the strengthening of the weakest teams as well as further improvement in highly performing MDTs. Importantly, the initiative has the potential to achieve behaviour change amongst clinicians.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPatient Care TeamHumansQuality ImprovementSurveys and QuestionnairesBehaviour changeCancerMDTMultidisciplinary teamQuality improvement

Identifiers

PMID33676492
PMCPMC7937192
OpenAlexW3134166859

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.