Virtual cancer multidisciplinary team meetings: outcomes of a two-phased survey from a tertiary NHS hospital

Abstract

Background/Aim Multidisciplinary team meetings have been an integral part of comprehensive cancer services in the UK for over 20 years. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the adoption of virtual platforms to allow these meetings to continue with minimal in-person contact. This study assessed multidisciplinary team members’ perspectives regarding the efficacy of the virtual platform, with the view of continuing this mode of delivery in the post-pandemic world. Methods A two-phased survey study was conducted among all members of the cancer multidisciplinary team in one UK hospital. Respondents completed a four-part questionnaire 6 months (n=108) and 1 year (n=120) after the implementation of the virtual platform in March 2020 to determine their perceptions of its effectiveness and safety. Results There was a statistically significant (P<0.05) improvement between the 6-month and 1-year survey responses in terms of overall satisfaction with the virtual platform, ease of use and efficiency of collective decision making using the virtual format. After 1 year, 80.5% of respondents preferred either continuing to use the virtual platform exclusively or switching to a hybrid model. Conclusions Staff experiences of using a virtual platform for cancer multidisciplinary team meetings may improve over time, with many respondents preferring this mode of delivery. Virtual meetings can provide greater flexibility and allow wider participation, potentially including specialists from across the globe.