[Introducing multidisciplinary team practice--through our experience gained from visiting MD Anderson Cancer Center]

Physicians in Japan have a strong influence in dictating the oncology care in a Japanese health care setting. As medical treatment becomes more sophisticated and patients demand improved quality of life, it becomes more difficult to solve problems with a single discipline dominating the care. Instead, the idea of multidisciplinary practice has become more popular for offering better patient care. In April and May 2008, six Japanese health care providers had a chance to visit The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center--one of the best models of multidisciplinary practice among USA hospitals--for five weeks to observe how the system and individuals work. The practice carried out at MD Anderson has been successful in terms of better cancer treatment results, better patient satisfaction, and better staff satisfaction. The backbones of the MD Anderson multidisciplinary practice are using evidence as a foundation for selecting treatment, encouraging communication and leadership among different disciplines, and establishing a mission and vision, which provide a common direction for all staff members. It is not easy to apply USA-style health care practice to Japanese medicine; however, Japan needs to develop its own unique multidisciplinary care approach.