Efficiency in treatment discussions: A field study of time related aspects in multi-disciplinary team meetings

We present a field study of multi-disciplinary team meetings where decisions on treatment of patients with diseases in the upper part of the abdomen are made. These meetings are important for knowledge dissemination and learning. We have studied how different time related aspects affect the efficiency during these meetings. Time is relevant because several physicians attend these meetings, and they have tight schedules as it is. Our analysis focuses on the conversation during the team meetings, and on how aspects such as indistinct discussions, lack of relevant competence and information, and the structuring of medical information affect time efficiency.