Relating structures and processes with team culture and communication in multidisciplinary cancer meetings in an academic hospital in Austria: is there room for improvement?

G. OFFERMANNS 1 2 and A. SCHWEIGER 1 2

1 University of Klagenfurt, Department of Organisation, Human Resources and Service Management

2 Karl Landsteiner Institute for Hospital Management

In Austria, multidisciplinary cancer meetings (MDTs or tumor boards) are considered the gold standard in cancer treatment.

The problem:

 This is the first study in Austria that allowed conclusions to be drawn about the effectiveness and efficiency of tumor boards.

Results of a self-assessment tool developed for tumor boards, focusing on structures and processes linked with team culture, are reported.

The study analysed the work of tumor boards and their relationship with team culture to enhance the quality of multidisciplinary cancer meetings.

Assessing tumor board members´ perception of…

in their daily work.

 Analysis effective teamwork processes

(i.e. communication, decision-making and patient-centred care).

 Identification of opportunities for quality improvement

Retrospective observational study with tumor boards in an Austrian hospital (since February 2020).

Mixed-methods-design (qualitative and quantitative data collection).

The Austrian Tumor Board Survey (ATS) was developed from October 2020 to date (based on the systematic review and the interviews).

 The online survey was pre-tested in nine MDTs in an academic hospital with 117 participants (March-May 2022; response rate of 58%).

Ten items were changed and added.

 Second online survey and sample: