Working as a multidisciplinary team

A multidisciplinary team is a collection of individuals who are interdependent in their tasks, who share responsibility for outcomes, who see themselves and are seen by others as an intact social entity embedded in one or more larger social systems. Although there are emerging descriptions of the composition of multidisciplinary teams in cancer care, there is a paucity of research data to guide recommendations about the particular strategies that are likely to be of benefit in promoting optimal team functioning. In addition to the ‘obvious’ members of a team, such as pathologist, radiologist, surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist, the presence of allied health professionals enhances capacity for comprehensive treatment of cancer patients. This chapter also considers the impact of poor communication within multidisciplinary teams on outcomes and how communication skills training can address this problem.