Tumors of the head and neck. A 4-year study of a multidisciplinary approach.

A multidisciplinary conference composed of the essential medical, surgical, dental, and allied specialists involved in the region of the head and neck, with resources to call upon other contributors when necessary, was undertaken at a major teaching center in the Northeastern U.S.A. (Long Island Jewish Hillside Medical Center). Meeting on a bimonthly basis with referrals accepted from all sources, but non-publicized, a total of 343 patients were seen over a period of 50 months. The results indicate that optimum patient care can be achieved with a minimum loss of time for treatment initiation and substantial cost savings from these specialists meeting as a group.