An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care

Abstract Background The British Columbia (BC) government has made significant investments towards the implementation of team-based care (TBC) in its provincial comprehensive cancer control program. TBC implementation involves purposeful efforts towards: (a) establishing/expanding multidisciplinary c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Leah K. Lambert, Farinaz Havaei, Scott M. Beck, Andy Ma, John Larmet, Jagbir Kaur, Nassim Adhami, Dan Le, Ryan Woods
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Cancer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-13644-9
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849767926270263296
author Leah K. Lambert
Farinaz Havaei
Scott M. Beck
Andy Ma
John Larmet
Jagbir Kaur
Nassim Adhami
Dan Le
Ryan Woods
author_facet Leah K. Lambert
Farinaz Havaei
Scott M. Beck
Andy Ma
John Larmet
Jagbir Kaur
Nassim Adhami
Dan Le
Ryan Woods
author_sort Leah K. Lambert
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The British Columbia (BC) government has made significant investments towards the implementation of team-based care (TBC) in its provincial comprehensive cancer control program. TBC implementation involves purposeful efforts towards: (a) establishing/expanding multidisciplinary care teams, (b) optimizing scope of practice, and (c) increasing care team consistency. Study objectives include an early-phase evaluation of (i) the association between TBC elements and team effectiveness and (ii) staff perceptions of barrier and facilitators of team effectiveness. Methods A series of five surveys over a 2-year period will be administered to prospectively evaluate the ongoing implementation of TBC. This study draws on data from the first of the five planned surveys, administered in May 2023. Eligible respondents included 299 program employees—spanning various roles such as physicians, nurses, and unit clerks—working within TBC at the time of survey deployment. The survey included both validated and researcher-developed questions that were either closed or open-ended, including measures of team composition, team consistency, team effectiveness, scope of practice, and demographics. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and regression analysis; qualitative data were analyzed guided by interpretive description methodology. Results Collected responses totaled 121, with the majority of respondents being women (76%), full-time employees (90%), and working in direct patient care (77%). Regression analyses indicated that (i) higher frequency of consistently working with the same team members and (ii) lower proportion of shifts practicing below scope are both significant predictors of higher team effectiveness ratings. Qualitative data highlighted staffing levels as a driver of under- and over-utilized scopes of practice. Furthermore, effective communication, enhanced knowledge of each team member’s scope of practice, and strong interpersonal relationships were highlighted as contributing factors to effectiveness among multidisciplinary care teams. Conclusions Preliminary findings from the first of five prospective surveys highlight team consistency and role optimization as drivers of effective teamwork in the early implementation of a team-based model of cancer care. Future research should explore contextual factors that influence cancer care staff and clinicians’ perceptions of effectiveness.
format Article
id doaj-art-550a20af61ee426d958bd133daeb0f98
institution DOAJ
issn 1471-2407
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Cancer
spelling doaj-art-550a20af61ee426d958bd133daeb0f982025-08-20T03:04:01ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072025-02-0125111310.1186/s12885-025-13644-9An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer careLeah K. Lambert0Farinaz Havaei1Scott M. Beck2Andy Ma3John Larmet4Jagbir Kaur5Nassim Adhami6Dan Le7Ryan Woods8BC Cancer, Provincial Health Services AuthoritySchool of Nursing, University of British ColumbiaBC Cancer, Provincial Health Services AuthoritySchool of Nursing, University of British ColumbiaBC Cancer, Provincial Health Services AuthorityBC Cancer, Provincial Health Services AuthoritySchool of Nursing, University of British ColumbiaBC Cancer, Provincial Health Services AuthorityBC Cancer, Provincial Health Services AuthorityAbstract Background The British Columbia (BC) government has made significant investments towards the implementation of team-based care (TBC) in its provincial comprehensive cancer control program. TBC implementation involves purposeful efforts towards: (a) establishing/expanding multidisciplinary care teams, (b) optimizing scope of practice, and (c) increasing care team consistency. Study objectives include an early-phase evaluation of (i) the association between TBC elements and team effectiveness and (ii) staff perceptions of barrier and facilitators of team effectiveness. Methods A series of five surveys over a 2-year period will be administered to prospectively evaluate the ongoing implementation of TBC. This study draws on data from the first of the five planned surveys, administered in May 2023. Eligible respondents included 299 program employees—spanning various roles such as physicians, nurses, and unit clerks—working within TBC at the time of survey deployment. The survey included both validated and researcher-developed questions that were either closed or open-ended, including measures of team composition, team consistency, team effectiveness, scope of practice, and demographics. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and regression analysis; qualitative data were analyzed guided by interpretive description methodology. Results Collected responses totaled 121, with the majority of respondents being women (76%), full-time employees (90%), and working in direct patient care (77%). Regression analyses indicated that (i) higher frequency of consistently working with the same team members and (ii) lower proportion of shifts practicing below scope are both significant predictors of higher team effectiveness ratings. Qualitative data highlighted staffing levels as a driver of under- and over-utilized scopes of practice. Furthermore, effective communication, enhanced knowledge of each team member’s scope of practice, and strong interpersonal relationships were highlighted as contributing factors to effectiveness among multidisciplinary care teams. Conclusions Preliminary findings from the first of five prospective surveys highlight team consistency and role optimization as drivers of effective teamwork in the early implementation of a team-based model of cancer care. Future research should explore contextual factors that influence cancer care staff and clinicians’ perceptions of effectiveness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-13644-9Cancer careTeam-based careTeam compositionScope of practiceTeam consistencyTeam effectiveness
spellingShingle Leah K. Lambert
Farinaz Havaei
Scott M. Beck
Andy Ma
John Larmet
Jagbir Kaur
Nassim Adhami
Dan Le
Ryan Woods
An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care
BMC Cancer
Cancer care
Team-based care
Team composition
Scope of practice
Team consistency
Team effectiveness
title An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care
title_full An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care
title_fullStr An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care
title_full_unstemmed An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care
title_short An early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team-based cancer care
title_sort early evaluation of team consistency and scope optimization in team based cancer care
topic Cancer care
Team-based care
Team composition
Scope of practice
Team consistency
Team effectiveness
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-13644-9
work_keys_str_mv AT leahklambert anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT farinazhavaei anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT scottmbeck anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT andyma anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT johnlarmet anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT jagbirkaur anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT nassimadhami anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT danle anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT ryanwoods anearlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT leahklambert earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT farinazhavaei earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT scottmbeck earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT andyma earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT johnlarmet earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT jagbirkaur earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT nassimadhami earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT danle earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare
AT ryanwoods earlyevaluationofteamconsistencyandscopeoptimizationinteambasedcancercare