Precision Medicine: Strategies for Improving Multidisciplinary Team Communication |
General Program Questions
Introduction
Multidisciplinary team communication plays a critical role in successful molecular testing across all oncology types. In 2016, ACCC conducted 4 focus groups at ACCC members programs on the current state of their breast and NSCLC molecular testing programs because of the prevalence of these cancer types. Drawing on findings from these discussions, ACCC developed an easy-to-use assessment tool that cancer programs can use to assess evaluate their molecular testing program. Completing the assessment allows cancer programs to identify potential gaps and foster team communication in three key areas:
• patient identification
• diagnosis, test selection, tissue preparation
• test results
Multidisciplinary team communication plays a critical role in successful molecular testing across all oncology types. In 2016, ACCC conducted 4 focus groups at ACCC members programs on the current state of their breast and NSCLC molecular testing programs because of the prevalence of these cancer types. Drawing on findings from these discussions, ACCC developed an easy-to-use assessment tool that cancer programs can use to assess evaluate their molecular testing program. Completing the assessment allows cancer programs to identify potential gaps and foster team communication in three key areas:
• patient identification
• diagnosis, test selection, tissue preparation
• test results
Assessment in Action: Three Simple Steps
Step 1. Complete the assessment – If there are questions you are unsure of, we encourage you to reach out to your multidisciplinary team for answers. The collaborative, combined input from members of your team will reveal different perspectives around key processes.
Step 2. Submit email for summary. The tool includes a link to request your assessment report. ACCC will email your assessment summary along with some additional discussion questions designed to foster improved team communication around specific aspects of molecular biomarker testing for breast cancer and NSCLC.
Step 2. Submit email for summary. The tool includes a link to request your assessment report. ACCC will email your assessment summary along with some additional discussion questions designed to foster improved team communication around specific aspects of molecular biomarker testing for breast cancer and NSCLC.
Step 3. Take action. Use the summary and follow-up questions to facilitate conversation with members of your molecular testing team to further evaluate your current processes to identify potential areas to increase or improve communication. Once you have identified areas of need, please reach back out to ACCC for resources to support your team, enhance communication, and/or implement a process improvement initiative. Once you have identified areas of need, please reach back out to ACCC for resources to support your team, communication and/or implement a process improvement initiative.