Overcoming obstacles to establish a multidisciplinary team approach to hepatobiliary diseases: a working model in a Caribbean setting

Abstract

Shamir O Cawich,1 Peter B Johnson,2 Sundeep Shah,2 Patrick Roberts,2 Milton Arthurs,2 Trevor Murphy,2 Kimon O Bonadie,2 Ivor W Crandon,1 Hyacinth E Harding,1 Mohammed Abu Hilal,3 Neil W Pearce3 1Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago; 2Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica; 3University Surgical Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom Introduction: By providing a structured forum to exchange information and ideas, multidisciplinary team meetings improve working relationships, expedite investigations, promote evidence-based treatment, and ultimately improve clinical outcomes. Methods: This discursive paper reports the introduction of a multidisciplinary team approach to manage hepatobiliary diseases in Jamaica, focusing on the challenges encountered and the methods used to overcome these obstacles. Conclusion: Despite multiple challenges in resource-limited environments, a multidisciplinary team approach can be incorporated into clinical practice in developing nations. Policy makers should make it a priority to support clinical, operational, and governance aspects of the multidisciplinary teams. Keywords: decision-making, cancer, health care policy