Multidisciplinary Team Meetings (MDM providing best cancer management for our patients

Cabrini is the largest private provider of cancer care in Australia. At Cabrini, MDMs play a vital role in treatment planning and managing cancer effectively. A diverse, highly-skilled and dedicated team of healthcare professionals including medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, respiratory physicians, radiologists, pathologists, physiotherapists, nurses and counsellors come together and discuss individualised care plans for every patient in every cancer stream at Cabrini.

We provide personalised multidisciplinary care, from diagnosis to treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. Our decision-making is guided by our patients and their individual needs and preferences. Our collaborative team approach to cancer treatment ensures continuity of care throughout the patient’s cancer journey.

The benefits of multidisciplinary care include: • Shorter time frames from diagnosis to treatment • Improved coordination of care • Improved treatment planning • Improved communication and sharing of information • Identification of patient supportive care needs and other factors which may impact treatment and care • Recruitment for clinical trials and cancer research projects • Clinical data captured during MDT meetings is used for clinical audit, quality improvement, service planning and research • Educational opportunities for healthcare professionals

Pre MDM – As much clinical data as possible is captured to ensure the case preparation teams are well informed. Case preparation teams include radiologists, pathologists, radiation oncologists, nurses/nurse coordinators and allied health professionals.

During the MDM – A team of healthcare professionals including medical oncologists, surgeons, relevant specialty physicians, radiologists, pathologists, nurses and allied health professionals come together to review each case.

Post MDM – The agreed treatment plan is communicated to Cabrini medical records and Cabrini clinical systems. A copy of the treatment plan is also sent to the treating clinician’s private rooms.

Melissa Vereker, Breast Cancer MDM Coordinator, and Cabrini Breast Cancer Database Manager. Amanda Samarasinghe, MDM Coordinator for haematology, lung, melanoma/skin, neuro-oncology, upper gastrointestinal hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer. Our decision-making is guided by our patients and their individual needs and preferences. Our collaborative team approach to cancer treatment ensures continuity of care throughout the patient's cancer journey.

Cabrini MDM outcomes captures data fields such as discussion focus, investigations, performance indicators, diagnosis, staging, MDM discussion and treatment recommendations. Cabrini MDM data is a contributor to the breast cancer database, and will soon contribute to the newly established Cabrini Lung Registry and Victorian Cancer Registry.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabrini MDMs continued to function and ran very effectively on a virtual platform, making use of the latest IT technologies including video conferencing and screen share capabilities.

Cabrini very quickly adapted to this new online format. It ultimately provided greater flexibility for many clinicians to attend, increasing the rate of attendance. Cabrini will continue to facilitate the MDMs online in the future as part of clinical practice.

Kate Chandler, Oncology Research Clinical Trial Study Coordinator, with Gary, an oncology clinical trial participant.

Queensland Oncology On-Line-Victoria (QOOL-Vic) is the only Department of Health endorsed state-wide meeting software. It was initially developed to support multidisciplinary teams in Queensland and is now actively used by many private and public hospitals in Victoria. Cabrini was one of the first metropolitan private hospitals to implement QOOL-Vic and we now run most MDMs on this platform. QOOL-Vic uses end-to-end encrypted software to ensure that patient data incoming, capturing and outgoing, is safe, ensuring the highest standards of patient data confidentiality is maintained at Cabrini.

STAFF

MEETING CHAIRPERSONS

Cabrini Lung, Melanoma, Skin and Sarcoma MDMs, Associate Professor Ben Brady Cabrini Haematology MDM, Associate Professor Melita Kenealy Cabrini Upper gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic MDM, Associate Professor Val Usatoff Cabrini Urology MDM, Professor Mark Frydenberg Cabrini Neuro-oncology MDM, Dr Ron Freilich

MDM COORDINATORS

Melissa Vereker, Breast Amy Drummond, Metastatic breast Karen Oliva, Colorectal Amanda Samarasinghe, Haematology, Lung, Melanoma/ skin, Neuro-oncology, Upper Gastrointestinal Hepatobiliary and pancreatic