Streamlining urology cancer multidisciplinary team meetings: Implementation and outcomes

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) are crucial for cancer care coordination.
• Streamlining MDT processes can improve efficiency and resource allocation.
• Urology cancer services face challenges in managing high patient volumes and complex cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and impact of a pre-MDT triage model.
• To assess the use of Standards of Care (SoC) for streamlining urology cancer referrals.
• To determine the effect on MDT duration, case management, and clinician satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Developed an SoC framework aligned with national guidance.
• Implemented a pre-MDT triage model involving a consultant urologist, clinical nurse specialist, and MDT coordinator.
• Collected data over 50 weeks on meeting duration, case numbers, plan changes, and conducted a clinician survey.

Main Results:

• Average MDT duration decreased from 158 to 135 minutes (p < 0.001).
• 79% of surveyed clinicians were confident in SoC-aligned case management without full MDT discussion.
• 84% supported ongoing streamlining, reporting time savings and improved operational efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The pre-MDT triage model enhanced MDT efficiency and clinician confidence in protocolised care.
• Wider adoption of pre-MDT streamlining in cancer services is supported by these findings.
• Challenges include single-consultant reliance and report availability, requiring attention for sustainability.