BACKGROUND AND METHODS: To test the hypothesis that a "working conference" (WC; tumor board format in which any case requiring multispecialty input is presented for discussion) was preferable to a "fascinating case" (FC; only "interesting" or "unusual" cases presented) format, tumor board format at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center was changed from FC to WC. RESULTS: The number of cases presented in tumor board reflected this change. For example, for the period from 1990 to 1991 (prior to the change), 63 of 557 registered cases (11%) were presented in tumor board. By 1992-1993, 206 of 547 registered cases (38%) were presented. This increase was highly significant (p < 0.001). Three years after the format change, the authors surveyed 22 regular participants of the tumor board, many of whom had been participants prior to the change. Of those surveyed, 77% preferred the WC to the FC format, and 18% preferred a combined format. Most of those surveyed felt that the WC format was more helpful to the provider and to patient care (86% and 100%, respectively). Eighty percent felt that the WC format facilitated protocol enrollment, and 100% of the respondents were satisfied with the quality of case discussion that resulted from the WC format. CONCLUSIONS: The change to a "working case" format increased provider satisfaction with tumor board quality compared with the previous "fascinating case" format.
BACKGROUND AND METHODS: To test the hypothesis that a "working conference" (WC; tumor board format in which any case requiring multispecialty input is presented for discussion) was preferable to a "fascinating case" (FC; only "interesting" or "unusual" cases presented) format, tumor board format at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center was changed from FC to WC. RESULTS: The number of cases presented in tumor board reflected this change. For example, for the period from 1990 to 1991 (prior to the change), 63 of 557 registered cases (11%) were presented in tumor board. By 1992-1993, 206 of 547 registered cases (38%) were presented. This increase was highly significant (p < 0.001). Three years after the format change, the authors surveyed 22 regular participants of the tumor board, many of whom had been participants prior to the change. Of those surveyed, 77% preferred the WC to the FC format, and 18% preferred a combined format. Most of those surveyed felt that the WC format was more helpful to the provider and to patient care (86% and 100%, respectively). Eighty percent felt that the WC format facilitated protocol enrollment, and 100% of the respondents were satisfied with the quality of case discussion that resulted from the WC format. CONCLUSIONS: The change to a "working case" format increased provider satisfaction with tumor board quality compared with the previous "fascinating case" format.
Authors: Janneke E W Walraven; Olga L van der Hel; J J M van der Hoeven; Valery E P P Lemmens; Rob H A Verhoeven; Ingrid M E Desar Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-06-27 Impact factor: 2.908