Table 1.
Performance of MDM in Clinical Outcomes and Patient Care
| Survey Item | Mean | SD | “Addressed Extremely Well” or “Addressed Well” Responses (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palliative care | |||
| Early referral to palliative care services | 3.96 | 1.09 | 77.8 |
| Symptom management | 3.92 | 0.89 | 80.8 |
| Referral for supportive care | 3.77 | 0.95 | 73.1 |
| Patient acceptance of palliative referral | 3.58 | 0.88 | 50.0 |
| Referral for terminal and end-of-life care | 3.59 | 1.15 | 63.0 |
| Overall palliative care | 3.77 | ||
| Benefits for team members | |||
| Sharing of coordination of care | 3.92 | 0.85 | 76.9 |
| Sharing of responsibility for patient's care | 3.72 | 0.84 | 64.0 |
| Improvement in working relationships with team members | 3.65 | 1.16 | 65.4 |
| Improvement of efficiency with work as a result of team membership | 3.38 | 1.01 | 58.3 |
| Practical support for team members | 3.25 | 0.94 | 45.8 |
| Emotional support for team members | 2.72 | 1.06 | 28.0 |
| Reduced likelihood of burnout for team members | 2.68 | 0.99 | 20.0 |
| Overall benefits for team members | 3.28 | ||
| Psychosocial care | |||
| Appropriateness of palliative care referrals | 3.89 | 0.89 | 81.5 |
| Assessment of patient needs | 3.59 | 1.01 | 59.3 |
| Assessment of practical issues | 3.56 | 1.05 | 66.7 |
| Value of meeting actions and recommendations | 3.52 | 1.05 | 64.0 |
| Assessment of patient's emotional status | 3.48 | 1.01 | 55.6 |
| Improved psychosocial outcomes for patients | 3.44 | 1.19 | 63.0 |
| Provision of practical support (eg, financial guidance, home help) | 3.33 | 1.18 | 59.3 |
| Assessment of care issues | 3.26 | 1.26 | 59.3 |
| Overall psychosocial care | 3.51 | ||
| Medical management | |||
| Symptom management | 3.86 | 0.94 | 81.8 |
| Assessment of response or progression | 3.82 | 1.10 | 77.3 |
| Management recommendations | 3.78 | 0.85 | 82.6 |
| Assessment of extent of disease | 3.77 | 0.97 | 72.7 |
| Confirmation of diagnosis (ABC) | 3.76 | 1.00 | 81.0 |
| Outcomes for patients medically | 3.68 | 1.04 | 72.7 |
| Overall medical management | 3.78 | ||
| Care in the community | |||
| Provision of community-based care | 3.59 | 0.69 | 70.4 |
| Communication with community care providers | 3.16 | 0.94 | 44.0 |
| Provision of support for the family, including children | 3.04 | 1.20 | 41.7 |
| Involvement of the patients' GPs in their care | 2.80 | 1.00 | 20.0 |
| Management of bereavement | 2.68 | 1.18 | 28.0 |
| Overall care in the community | 3.05 |
Abbreviations: MDM, multidisciplinary meeting; SD, standard deviation; ABC, advance breast cancer; GPs, general practitioners.