What is a virtual multidisciplinary team (vMDT)?

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs), also known as tumour boards or multidisciplinary case conferences, are an integral component of contemporary cancer care. There are logistical problems with setting up and maintaining participation in these meetings. An ill-defined concept, the virtual MDT (vMDT), has arisen in response to these difficulties. We have, in order to provide clarity and to generate discussion, attempted to define the concept of the vMDT, outline its advantages and disadvantages, and consider some of the practical aspects involved in setting up a virtual MDT. METHODS: This is an unstructured review of published evidence and personal experience relating to virtual teams in general, and to MDTs in particular. RESULTS: We have devised a simple taxonomy for MDTs, discussed some of the practicalities involved in setting up a vMDT, and described some of the potential advantages and disadvantages associated with vMDTs. CONCLUSION: The vMDT may be useful for discussions concerning rare or unusual tumours, or for helping guide the assessment and management of patients with uncommon complications related to treatment. However, the vMDT is a niche concept and is currently unlikely to replace the more traditional face-to-face MDT in the management of common tumours at specific sites.

"Do no harm": fortifying MDT collaboration in changing technological times.

PURPOSE: To examine the changes in multidisciplinary medical team activity and practices, with respect to the amount of patient cases, the information needs and technology used, with up to 10 multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) in a large teaching hospital over a 10-year period. METHODS: An investigation of MDT meeting activity was undertaken in November 2005 and repeated in November 2012 for the MDTs at a large university teaching hospital. Analysis of data from 8 MDTs was informed through long-term ethnographical study, and supplemented with 38 semi-structured interviews and a survey from 182 staff members of MDTs. RESULTS: Work rhythms change over time as a function of the volume of work and technology changes, such as the use of a picture archive and communication system (PACS), videoconferencing and an electronic patient record (EPR). Maintaining cohesive teamwork, system dependability, and patient safety in the context of rapid change is challenging. CONCLUSIONS: Benefits of MDT work are in evidence, but the causes are not fully understood. Instead of asking 'how can technology support more MDT activity?', we ask 'how can we preserve the benefits of human-human interaction in an increasingly technological environment?' and 'how can we ensure that we do no harm?' when introducing technology to support an increasingly demanding collaborative work setting. Introducing technology to streamline work might instead threaten the experienced improvement in patient services.

Demand for and availability of online support to stop smoking / Suporte online para parar de fumar / Soporte en línea para parar de fumar

OBJECTIVES: Estimate the frequency of online searches on the topic of smoking and analyze the quality of online resources available to smokers interested in giving up smoking. METHODS: Search engines were used to revise searches and online resources related to stopping smoking in Brazil in 2010. The number of searches was determined using analytical tools available on Google Ads; the number and type of sites were determined by replicating the search patterns of internet users. The sites were classified according to content (advertising, library of articles and other). The quality of the sites was analyzed using the Smoking Treatment Scale- Content (STS-C) and the Smoking Treatment Scale - Rating (STS-R). RESULTS: A total of 642,446 searches was carried out. Around a third of the 113 sites encountered were of the 'library' type, i.e. they only contained articles, followed by sites containing clinical advertising (18.6) and professional education (10.6). Thirteen of the sites offered advice on quitting directed at smokers. The majority of the sites did not contain evidence-based information, were not interactive and did not have the possibility of communicating with users after the first contact. Other limitations we came across were a lack of financial disclosure as well as no guarantee of privacy concerning information obtained and no distinction made between editorial content and advertisements. CONCLUSIONS: There is a disparity between the high demand for online support in giving up smoking and the scarcity of quality online resources for smokers. It is necessary to develop interactive, customized online resources based on evidence and random clinical testing in order to improve the support available to Brazilian smokers.

OBJETIVO Estimar a frequência de buscas online sobre tabagismo e analisar a qualidade dos recursos online de apoio para tabagistas interessados em parar de fumar. MÉTODOS: Revisão de buscas e recursos online relacionados à cessação de tabaco no Brasil em 2010, utilizando ferramentas de busca. O número de buscas foi determinado via ferramentas de análise do Google Ads; número e o tipo de sites foram determinados pela reprodução de padrões de busca de usuários de internet. Os sites foram classificados de acordo com seu conteúdo (propagandas, biblioteca de artigos e outros). A qualidade dos sites foi analisada utilizando-se a Smoking Treatment Scale- Content (STS-C) e Smoking Treatment Scale - Rating (STS-R). RESULTADOS: Foram realizadas 642.446 buscas. Cerca de um terço dos 113 sites encontrados foram do tipo "biblioteca", i.e., continham somente artigos, seguidos por sites com propagandas de clínicas (18,6%) e educação profissional (10,6%). Treze sites ofereciam intervenções diretas para tabagistas. A maioria desses sites não era baseada em evidências, oferecia baixas interatividade e capacidade de customização nem tinha ferramentas de comunicação com seus usuários depois do primeiro contato. Outras limitações detectadas foram omissão das fontes de financiamento, além de ausência de garantia de sigilo das informações obtidas e de distinção entre conteúdo editorial e de anúncios comerciais. CONCLUSÕES: Há disparidade entre a alta demanda para apoio online para cessação do tabaco e a esparsa disponibilidade de intervenções online de qualidade para tabagistas. O desenvolvimento de intervenções online interativas, customizadas, baseadas em evidências e testadas em ensaios clínicos randomizados é necessário para o avanço no suporte oferecido a fumantes no Brasil.

OBJETIVO: Estimar la frecuencia de búsquedas en línea sobre tabaquismo y analizar la calidad de los recursos en línea de apoyo para fumadores interesados en parar de fumar. MÉTODOS: Revisión de búsquedas y recursos en línea relacionados con el cesamiento de cigarro en Brasil en 2010, utilizando herramientas de búsqueda. El número de búsquedas fue determinado a través de herramientas de análisis de Google Ads; el número y tipo de sitios fueron determinados por la reproducción de patrones de búsqueda de usuarios de internet. Los sitios fueron clasificados de acuerdo con su contenido (propagandas, biblioteca de artículos y otros). La calidad de los sitios fue analizada utilizándose la Smoking Treatment Scale-Content (STS-C) y Smoking Treatment Scale-Rating (STS-R). RESULTADOS: Se realizaron 642.446 búsquedas. Cerca de un tercio de los 113 sitios encontrados fueron del tipo "biblioteca", es decir, contenían solamente artículos; seguidos por sitios con propagandas de clínicas (18,6%) y educación profesional (10,6%). Trece sitios ofrecían intervenciones directas para fumadores. La mayoría de ellos no estaba basada en evidencias, ofrecía bajas interactividad y capacidad de personalización y no tenía herramientas de comunicación con sus usuarios después del primer contacto. Otras limitaciones detectadas fueron omisión de las fuentes de financiamiento y ausencia de garantía de sigilo de las informaciones obtenidas y de distinción entre contenido editorial y de anuncios comerciales. CONCLUSIONES: Hay disparidad entre la alta demanda para apoyo en línea para cesamiento del cigarro y la escasa disponibilidad de intervenciones en línea de calidad para fumadores. El desarrollo de intervenciones en línea interactivas, personalizadas, basadas en evidencias y pruebas en ensayos clínicos ramdomizados es necesario para el avance en el soporte ofrecido a fumadores en Brasil.

Demand for and availability of online support to stop smoking.

OBJECTIVES: Estimate the frequency of online searches on the topic of smoking and analyze the quality of online resources available to smokers interested in giving up smoking. METHODS: Search engines were used to revise searches and online resources related to stopping smoking in Brazil in 2010. The number of searches was determined using analytical tools available on Google Ads; the number and type of sites were determined by replicating the search patterns of internet users. The sites were classified according to content (advertising, library of articles and other). The quality of the sites was analyzed using the Smoking Treatment Scale- Content (STS-C) and the Smoking Treatment Scale - Rating (STS-R). RESULTS: A total of 642,446 searches was carried out. Around a third of the 113 sites encountered were of the 'library' type, i.e. they only contained articles, followed by sites containing clinical advertising (18.6) and professional education (10.6). Thirteen of the sites offered advice on quitting directed at smokers. The majority of the sites did not contain evidence-based information, were not interactive and did not have the possibility of communicating with users after the first contact. Other limitations we came across were a lack of financial disclosure as well as no guarantee of privacy concerning information obtained and no distinction made between editorial content and advertisements. CONCLUSIONS: There is a disparity between the high demand for online support in giving up smoking and the scarcity of quality online resources for smokers. It is necessary to develop interactive, customized online resources based on evidence and random clinical testing in order to improve the support available to Brazilian smokers.

A health literacy assessment of the epilepsy.com website.

Current healthcare guidelines identify low health literacy as a major barrier to optimal health communication. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals can obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. An estimated 90 million people in the U.S. have marginal health literacy. The Institute of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Education recommend that health related information be written at the 6th-8th grade level to address low health literacy. Epidemiological studies demonstrate that persons with epilepsy have significantly lower educational attainment and lower incomes placing them at risk for low health literacy and limited Internet access. While Internet users tend to have higher educational attainment, previous research indicates even good readers prefer simpler rather than more complex medical information. Health educational content that could be printed and given to patients addresses an important need in clinical epilepsy care. Previous reviews of health websites found they exceed recommended readability levels. Two online programs were used to assess the reading level of 1327 web pages on the www.epilepsy.com website using established readability formulas. Based on the Flesch Reading Ease assessment, only 3% of epilepsy.com web pages are written for a 6th grade reading level or below. If 8th grade level or below is used as the standard, only 15% are adequate. Recommendations and examples are provided for improving the readability of epilepsy-specific health education content.

Topics and features of academic medical library tutorials.

In a 2007 study, librarians at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Library examined freely available online tutorials on academic medical library Web sites. The team identified tutorial topics, determined common design features, and assessed elements of active learning in library-created tutorials; the team also generated a list of third-party tutorials to which medical libraries link. This article updates the earlier study, describing changes and trends in tutorial content and design on medical libraries' Web sites; the project team plans to continue to track trends in tutorial development by repeating this study annually.

Online resources for the molecular contextualization of disease.

Searching online resources can provide medical researchers with an efficient means of gathering existing knowledge on the molecular causes of disease. The researcher may choose to explore the following areas, e.g., genetic mutations associated with the disease, function and cellular sub-localization of the associated protein(s) and their protein interaction partners. Using a small case study, examining the disease retinoblastoma, this chapter guides the reader through the relevant information contained within relevant databases. It is shown that the integration of online biological knowledge with genomic and proteomic experimental data provides insights into the understanding of diseases in their molecular context.

A health literacy assessment of the National Epilepsy Foundation Web site.

Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Based on the 2003 US National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), more than 90 million people have literacy levels rated as "basic" or "below basic." The Institute of Medicine recommends that health-related information be written at a sixth grade level or below. As Web-based health information is being accessed by more than 50 million people, a reading level assessment of the National Epilepsy Foundation of America Web site was undertaken. Two online programs were used to assess the reading level of each Web page in two main areas, "Understanding Epilepsy" and "Living with Epilepsy," using established readability formulas. One hundred seventy-six Web links were evaluated in English and 43 in Spanish. Based on the Flesch Reading Ease and Huerta Reading Ease assessments, 5.7% of National Epilepsy Foundation Web pages in English and 31-46% in Spanish had a sixth grade or lower reading level. Similar results have been reported in previous reviews of other health education Web sites in cancer, pediatrics, and asthma. The National Epilepsy Foundation Web site, a well-respected resource for patients and their families, contains a significant amount of health education content that is not appropriate for those with marginal health literacy. Editorial changes are needed to bring the information to suggested levels. Suggestions for developing appropriate materials are provided.