Quality of leadership in multidisciplinary cancer tumor boards: development and evaluation of a leadership assessment instrument (ATLAS)

Rozh Jalil; Tayana Soukup; Waseem Akhter; Nick Sevdalis; James S A Green

doi:10.1007/s00345-018-2255-1

Quality of leadership in multidisciplinary cancer tumor boards: development and evaluation of a leadership assessment instrument (ATLAS)

World J Urol. 2018 Jul;36(7):1031-1038. doi: 10.1007/s00345-018-2255-1. Epub 2018 Mar 3.

Authors

Rozh Jalil^{1

2}, Tayana Soukup³, Waseem Akhter⁴, Nick Sevdalis⁵, James S A Green^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK. rozh.jalil@doctors.org.uk.
² Department of Urology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Rd, London, W6 8RF, UK. rozh.jalil@doctors.org.uk.
³ Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Urology, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
⁵ Health Service and Population Research Department, Center for Implementation Science, King's College London, London, UK.
⁶ Whipps Cross University Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
⁷ Department of Health and Social Care, London Southbank University, London, UK.

PMID: 29502300
DOI: 10.1007/s00345-018-2255-1

Abstract

Background: High-quality leadership and chairing skills are vital for good performance in multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs), but no instruments currently exist for assessing and improving these skills.

Objective: To construct and validate a robust instrument for assessment of MTB leading and chairing skills.

Design and setting: We developed an observational MTB leadership assessment instrument (ATLAS). ATLAS includes 12 domains that assess the leadership and chairing skills of the MTB chairperson. ATLAS has gone through a rigorous process of refinement and content validation prior to use to assess the MTB lead by two urological surgeons (blinded to each other) in 7 real-live (n = 286 cases) and 10 video-recorded (n = 131 cases) MTBs.

Outcome measures and statistical analysis: ATLAS domains were analyzed via descriptive statistics. Instrument content was evaluated for validity using the content validation index (CVI). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess inter-observer reliability.

Results: Instrument refining resulted in ATLAS including the following 12 domains: time management, communication, encouraging contribution, ability to summarize, ensuring all patients have treatment plan, case prioritization, keeping meeting focused, facilitate discussion, conflict management, leadership, creating good working atmosphere, and recruitment for clinical trials. CVI was acceptable and inter-rater agreement adequate to high for all domains. Agreement was somewhat higher in real-time MTBs compared to video ratings. Concurrent validation evidence was derived via positive and significant correlations between ATLAS and an established validated brief MTB leadership assessment scale.

Conclusion: ATLAS is an observational assessment instrument that can be reliably used for assessing leadership and chairing skills in cancer MTBs (both live and video-recorded). The ability to assess and feedback on team leader performance provides the ground for promotion of good practice and continuing professional development of tumor board leaders.

Keywords: Chairing; Leadership; Multidisciplinary; Tumor board.

Publication types

Observational Study
Validation Study

MeSH terms

Advisory Committees / standards*
Group Processes
Humans
Interdisciplinary Communication*
Leadership*
Medical Oncology*
Negotiating
Observer Variation
Patient Care Team*
Reproducibility of Results
Time Management