Organizing the Multidisciplinary Team

Abstract

The multidisciplinary colorectal cancer team (CRC–MDT) decides the treatment strategy after the disease has been diagnosed, classified, and staged by the team members. It also executes quality control after the treatment has been completed. The core MDT team consists of colorectal surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists (The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland: guidelines for the management of colorectal cancer, 2007). Some institutions also include patient care representatives and other disciplines in the team as they take on other obligations concerning the patient’s way from referral to discharge from the last follow-up visit (The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland: guidelines for the management of colorectal cancer, 2007).

The team should ensure that decisions are evidence based whenever possible and the decisions are based upon all necessary preoperative diagnostic and staging modalities. It is further ensured that diagnostics and staging procedures are of high quality and that no unnecessary procedures are delaying the treatment. The team defines guidelines to ensure that the patient flow is efficient, fast, and without dropouts. The team meetings are learning platforms for younger doctors in specialist training.