Zoom: and its discontents?

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10 January 2022

Dear Colleague,

Functioning of clinical multi-disciplinary meetings (MDM) has been significantly changed due to the demands of the pandemic. Use of virtual meeting platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams has allowed these vitally important meetings to continue despite the demands of social distancing and isolation. As we anticipate a return to a new “normal” these virtual platforms are likely to continue to play a large role in how MDMs are run.

Importantly the recent emergence of Omicron variant has again placed renewed pressures on the clinical team to avoid meeting face to face at MDM.  

Do virtual platforms provide adequate functionality for the important decisions we make in Heart and Thoracic MDMs? A pilot questionnaire study was designed and delivered by the Glasgow clinical team, in collaboration with organisational psychology University of Glasgow. This generated some very interesting results and with the support of the SCTS GB&I, the team in Glasgow would like to expand this pilot to a UK wide study. The study explores our reflections on our ability to review data and make decisions as a team using virtual and hybrid type compared with traditional face-to-face MDMs. The survey below will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and will provide a more comprehensive assessment of how we continue to work during and after the pandemic.

To access the questionnaire please see link below.  All responses are anonymised. We hope you find the study interesting and relevant, and are very grateful for your participation.

Kind regards

Mark

Click here to view questionnaire 

Prof Mark Danton

Consultant Cardiac Surgeon (Congenital) Glasgow

Dr Ian Bushnell

School of Psychology, University of Glasgow 

 

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