|
Statewide Projects <<
Multidisciplinary Care
A large body of international research evidence supports
the view that health outcomes for breast disease can be maximised
through a specialist multidisciplinary approach to treatment
and ongoing care. The Australian, United Kingdom and New Zealand
clinical guidelines for the management of breast cancer all
recommend the promotion of multidisciplinary care.
This means that optimal therapy for breast cancer requires
input from the woman and the surgeon, radiation oncologist,
medical oncologist, diagnostic radiologist, pathologist, general
practitioner, nurses and other health professionals. This
may be provided in an integrated treatment centre or be accomplished
elsewhere by consultation between professionals.
Developing models of multidisciplinary care was integral
to the Breast Disease Service Redevelopment Strategy, and
the implementation and/or enhancement of multidisciplinary
care was an important feature of all the BSEPs.
A range of BSEP projects across Victoria addressed multidisciplinary
care. The objectives of these projects included:
- Development of breast specific multidisciplinary meetings
(where previously they did not exist).
- Expansion of the multidisciplinary team.
- Increased consideration of psychosocial aspects of patient
care in multidisciplinary meeting discussions.
14 November, 2006for professional
development and education among multidisciplinary team members.
- Development of improved information management systems
for assessment and management of women presenting with breast
systems.
- Establishment of protocols and clinical pathways to enhance
specialist breast care.
- Development of tools to assess performance of multidisciplinary
team meetings.
- Enhanced consumer understanding of the function of the
multidisciplinary meeting.
The Barwon South Western BSEP also participated in the National
Breast Cancer Centre (NBCC) Multidisciplinary Care Demonstration
Project. The NBCC project aimed to better understand the diverse
ways in which multidisciplinary care is practised across Australia.
|
