You may have heard the term ‘MDT ‘ - which stands for multidisciplinary team, but what does the term actually mean and how do these teams benefit patients? Across our healthcare system, we bring together groups of doctors and specialists to help decide the best route of care for a patient.
Here, Mr Roberto Casula, Cardiothoracic Surgeon who is part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA UK, explains more about cardiac MDTs.
What are the benefits of an MDT?
Adopting an MDT approach means that a wide team of professionals are contributing to your care, rather than just having the input of one of two specialists. At our cardiac hospitals across HCA UK, your cardiologist will present the details of your case to other cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, as well as with echocardiography and cardiac MRI specialists who can then share their insights and expertise and reach a decision about the most appropriate care a patient requires and the surgical approach.
As a consultant, an MDT meeting also presents an opportunity for me to broaden my horizons and hear perspectives from other consultants with their own specialisms and regional expertise. Even with years of experience, it's important that as consultants we are constantly keeping our knowledge updated alongside the latest innovations and approaches in surgery and medicine, which are rapidly evolving. In many cases, consultants attend MDTs not because they have a patient of their own to present and discuss, but often just to contribute to the discussion and support other colleagues.
MDTs offer the opportunity to think about all of the potential treatment options; ultimately, it's all about finding the approach that will give the best outcome for the patient and their own individual circumstances. For example, I might present a patient’s case and another consultant might suggest a percutaneous approach (a procedure performed via needle puncture of the skin rather than open surgery). It is paramount to also consider each patient’s individual suitability to a less invasive surgical approach, as is recommended by recently published National Insititute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
Who takes part in an MDT?
