Co-located multidisciplinary clinics — where newly diagnosed cancer patients meet with all of their cancer specialists on the same day — can expedite time to treatment, reduce costs and improve outcomes, according to a study published Feb. 20 in the Journal of Oncology Practice.
Fairfax, Va-based Inova Health researchers analyzed 27 studies to identify any link between multidisciplinary clinics with treatment decisions, timelines, guideline adherence and survival outcomes.
Here are five things to know from the study:
- Data from more than 18,000 patients was included in the analysis.
- Patients who attended a multidisciplinary clinic began treatment about 9.5 days sooner than patients who received standard care.
- Guideline adherence averaged 91% in care associated with a multidisciplinary clinic visit compared to 68% in routine care pathways.
- Multidisciplinary clinic visits after a new cancer diagnosis were also linked to reduced diagnostic expenditures and improved overall survival.
- “By co-locating physicians and patients in the same clinic at the same time, multidisciplinary clinics allow doctors to collaborate in real time, align on a unified treatment plan and reduce delays that can add stress during an already overwhelming time for patients,” a Feb. 25 news release from Inova said.
Read the full study here.
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