Cancer centers: their relationship to the academic community

During the past decade one important change that has occurred in medical education has been the development of multidisciplinary research, education, and treatment efforts by new groups of scholars drawn from multiple disciplines. In their daily activities members of such groups have more in common with their new affinity group than with their traditional discipline. Yet important adminstrative functions such as appointment, assignment of space, and allocation of budget are conducted by separate administrative units. This has produced stress and conflict within many academic institutions. Some of the lessons learned by institutions participating in the cancer center program may be generally applicable. Comprehensive cancer centers have evolved several types of administrative sturctures, but there is a common characteristics among the most successful. Each has developed some modification of a matrix system with delegation of significant administrative authority to the center. If the matrix approach is successful in cancer, it may become a pattern for other programs in the future.