Background:
Best practice cancer care is multidisciplinary with the establishment and strengthening of multidisciplinary meetings identified as a key component1. The ONTrac at Peter Mac Victorian Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Service facilitates a state-wide AYA multidisciplinary meeting with an adolescent health and supportive care focus alongside tumour stream management.
Aim:
The overall aim of the AYA multidisciplinary team meeting is to ensure consensus regarding supportive care planning for all patients referred to the ONTrac at Peter Mac service and that this sits alongside disease specific multidisciplinary care.
Method:
The weekly meeting is attended by paediatric & adult oncologists; a palliative care physician; a palliative care nurse; a clinical nurse coordinator; ward based nurses; a psychologist; social workers; an education & vocation consultant; an occupational therapist; an exercise physiologist; a music therapist; a data manager and an administrative coordinator. Outcomes are documented on the medical history and communicated to primary treating teams and primary care providers. The meeting provides remote access to external service providers via video-conferencing. Terms of reference have been developed and are reviewed on an annual basis.
Results:
42 meetings occurred in 2014. A total of 143 patients were discussed and where required represented at significant time points. 80% of patients had outcomes documented in the medical history and communicated in writing to primary treating teams. 70% had documented care plans shared with primary care providers.
Conclusion:
The AYA multidisciplinary team meeting is an evolving process requiring ongoing review and evaluation to ensure its alignment with best-practice care.