Multidisciplinary meetings allow complex cases to be discussed by many specialties so that the best possible outcome is achieved for the patient. Clinicians will meet and discuss the patient’s presentation, then review the radiology and pathology before the aims of management are discussed. Given that many medical disciplines are present no treatment modality is ignored and once a consensus decision is reached the patient can be confident that their condition has been thoroughly considered and an evidence based decision made.
Within the Colorectal Multidisciplinary Meeting which was created by Dr Rohan Gett in 2007 there are over 5 specialties present. Colorectal surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists will discuss cases with radiologists and anatomical pathologists. By the end of the meeting, the nuances of the case have been discussed and a clearer understanding of the investigations has been gained. A consensus decision is reached and any dissenting views are obtained. The patient’s details and discussion are recorded and summarised in letters back to the general practitioner. The Inflammatory Bowel Disease clinic, currently chaired by Dr Simon Ghaly functions in much the same way so that IBD patients benefit from a close examination of their details and a broad discussion of their treatment options.
In the colorectal cancer meeting the current chairman is Dr Rohan Gett, colorectal surgeon. The other surgeons include Dr Alan Meagher, Dr Gareth Owen and Dr Hamish Urquhart. The medical oncologists are Dr Subo Thaveswaran and Dr Megan Barnet. The radiation oncologists are Dr George Hruby and Dr Annie Ho. The radiologists are Dr Sonny Hao and Dr Brad Milner. The pathologists are Dr Wade Barrett and Professor Tao Yang. Other services in attendance include the genetic cancer team and stomal therapy.
In the IBD meeting, the current chairman is Dr Simon Ghaly. The other gastroenterologists are Dr Andrew Kim, Dr Robert Feller, Dr Craig Hafer, Dr William Bye and Dr Clare Wu. The surgeons include Dr Rohan Gett, Dr Darren Gold, Dr Gareth Owen and Dr Hamish Urquhart. The cases are collated by IBD fellow and management is coordinated by the IBD nurse, Ms Sally Antoniades.
