Work satisfaction at a multidisciplinary gastrointestinal oncology fast-track outpatient clinic.

Abstract

605 Background: Physician and nurse satisfaction is positively correlated with patient satisfaction. In our university centre we have established the Gastrointestinal Oncology Clinic Amsterdam (GIOCA), a patient centred multidisciplinary one day diagnostics and fast track treatment planning outpatient clinic for gastrointestinal malignancies. The GIOCA team consists of dedicated surgeons, gastroenterologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, nuclear radiologists, pathologists, and specialized nurses. We have measured a high patient satisfaction. However to our knowledge there are no studies that focus on the satisfaction of physicians and nurses working within a multidisciplinary team. Our aim was to evaluate the experience and work satisfaction of the physicians and nurses at GIOCA. Methods: A qualitative observational study was performed to compose a questionnaire. This questionnaire was then sent to every physician (specialist, fellow, and resident) and nurse (n=77) working at the outpatient clinic. Answers were given on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using non-parametric tests. Results: The questionnaire was answered by 73 respondents, of whom 8.2% were nurses and 91.8% were physicians (95% overall response rate). Overall satisfaction with the fast track outpatient clinic was high for all groups (4; 3-5). The workload was experienced as average by physicians and high by nurses (p<0.001). The highest emotional strain was reported by nurses and residents. The emotional strain reported by residents was significantly higher compared to the level of emotional strain reported by specialists (p=0.034). The quality of the multidisciplinary meeting was rated high by both physicians and nurses. The importance of a multidisciplinary one day diagnostics outpatient clinic was invariably rated high to very high by all physicians and nurses. Conclusions: The overall work satisfaction at GIOCA is high. A patient centred one day diagnostics and fast track treatment outpatient clinic for gastrointestinal malignancies is indispensible according to the physicians and nurses. This may have contributed to a high patient satisfaction and a high overall work satisfaction.