SO16P MULTIDISCIPLINARY CANCER CARE IN AUSTRALIA: AN AUDIT OF CURRENT UPTAKE

Multidisciplinary care (MDC) has been shown to improve care and outcomes for cancer patients and is incorporated into national and state/territory clinical practice guidelines, frameworks and plans across Australia. The National Breast Cancer Centre Principles of Multidisciplinary Care provide a flexible framework for the implementation of MDC. However, while there has been a considerable focus on MDC in breast cancer there is anecdotal evidence that the wider uptake of MDC is limited. The NBCC has undertaken a national audit of MDC activity across five tumour streams: breast, gynaecological, lung, colorectal and prostate cancers. The aim of the audit was to provide a snapshot of MDC activity in Australia across a range of health service delivery settings, to identify areas or gaps where implementation strategies could be targeted to increase MDC uptake. The audit was timed to precede the introduction of a Medicare Benefit Schedule item to support specialists attending MDC meetings. A random sample of 420 hospitals, stratified by state/territory, hospital type (public/private) and geographic area (metropolitan/regional) were invited to nominate hospital staff to participate in a telephone survey about MDC activity for each of the five tumour streams. The survey investigated both practical and qualitative aspects of MDC practice based on the Principles of Multidisciplinary Care. Within two states the survey was administered through collaboration with state-based health departments. The national data was analysed by tumour stream, hospital type and geographical area. Key results and outcomes relevant to surgeons will be presented.