Article Text
Abstract
Introduction While multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) are well established in many healthcare institutions, both how they function and their role in decision-making vary widely. This study adopted an innovative methodology to assess multidisciplinary team performance and engage teams in performance improvement strategies.
Methods The study comprised a survey to evaluate MDT members’ perceptions of their team’s performance before the implementation of the programme and annually thereafter, and a maturity matrix designed as a self-assessment tool. Each MDT used the matrix to collectively assess its performance and identify areas for improvement.
Results In the first cycle, 180 member surveys from 19 MDTs were completed. This provided insights into team members’ perceptions of performance. 12 of these teams continued with the study and all 12 completed the matrix. Most teams rated themselves at level one or two (low) on a scale of five for most items.
Conclusions The MDT survey and maturity matrix have the potential to be useful for cancer care teams to identify their strengths and weaknesses and monitor performance over time and also for management to review its performance against standard criteria and to identify priority areas for improvement and further support.
- healthcare quality improvement
- health services research
- implementation science
- shared decision making
- teams
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Footnotes
Contributors LE planned and conducted the study. BD was the project manager for the study. YL was the project manager for the study in 2019 and organised the statistical analysis, prepared the detailed results and reviewed the final manuscript. TS provided an external viewpoint in the planning and conduct of the study and reviewed and edited the paper. PH supervised all aspects of the study and provided advice and support where required.
Funding BD and YL were funded through grants from the NSW Cancer Institute. LE was partially funded from the Sydney West—Translational Cancer Research Centre.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data availability statement All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as online supplementary information.