Barbara DeVivo
Westmont University, USA
Title: Interdisciplinary vs. Hierarchical: Characteristics of a Collaborative Tumor Board …. and How that Affects Cancer Treatment Decision-making.
Biography
Biography: Barbara DeVivo
Abstract
The purpose of hospital tumor boards (TBs) is for physicians to incorporate evidenced-based clinical guidelines and multidisciplinary perspectives to find the best treatment program for patients; however, team-based dynamics can influence the decision-making process and outcome. This qualitative ethnographic study investigated team-based mechanisms to review the influence of collaboration on cancer treatment decision-making. This study focused on the identification and theoretical explanation of collaborative organizational structures, their presence in multidisciplinary tumor boards, and their effect on cancer treatment decision-making within the groups. The research is grounded in organizational theories that have historical prominence in group decision-making, social hierarchy, and interdisciplinary collaboration; it uses an ethnographic research methodology to ground these theories with the findings of the research to best illustrate and explain the phenomenon under investigation. Tumor board observation and interview data were gathered over three years at seven research hospitals in the United States and United Kingdom (44 tumor boards). Results showed an interdisciplinary collaborative culture exists in some tumor boards influencing treatment decision-making processes and outcomes. This study contributes to the current knowledge of cancer treatment by expanding upon prior findings through multihospital and multi-tumor board field research conducted in both the United Kingdom and United States.