What are essential competencies for cancer care teams?

Challenge

Delivering cancer care can be challenging. It involves integrating a number of issues, including extreme specialization, geographic dispersion, and the multitude of teams. Cancer care team members are often minimally trained in teamwork, particularly in multiteam care systems competencies.

So, how can care be effectively coordinated across the cancer care continuum?

For the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Westat used the Delphi technique to determine key knowledge, skills, attitudes, and other characteristics the cancer workforce need to team effectively and efficiently within and across care settings. 

Solution

Westat administered 3 rounds of an online Delphi survey to cancer care stakeholders. The Delphi technique is a structured process, where, over the course of discussions and data collection, a group arrives at a consensus.

Stakeholders included oncologists, primary care doctors, nurses, palliative care professionals, team researchers, patient advocates, and caregivers.

Working with NCI, Westat prepared a manuscript of the study methods and results to distribute to potential cancer care team training providers.

Results

The data gathered will inform future team training curricula and, ultimately, help improve health care delivery.