Table 3

Summary of responses from each Australian institution identified as managing lung cancer patients, stratified by high (≥100) or low (≤99) annual case volume

Annual cases n/N (%)
Low (≤99)High (≥100)
Total no institutions†2355
Public15/23 (65.2)49/55 (89.1)
Private8/23 (34.8)*6/55 (10.9)
Metropolitan12/23 (52.2)42/55 (76.4)
Regional11/23 (47.8)13/55 (23.6)
Has regular MDT19/23 (82.6)54/55 (98.2)
No regular MDT4/23 (17.4)1/55 (1.8)
Frequency of MDT
Weekly7/18 (38.9)42/53 (76.4)
Fortnightly11/18 (47.8)*11/53 (20.0)
EBUS on site8/23 (34.8)50/55 (90.9)
Medical oncology on site20/23 (87.0)53/55 (96.4)
Radiation oncology on site14/23 (60.9)42/55 (76.4)
Specialist lung cancer nurse on site6/22 (27.3)*33/53 (62.3)
If yes FTE (median)0.50.8
Core MDT members per OCP guidelines8/21 (38.1)34/53 (64.2)
Full recommended MDT attendance per OCP guidelines0/210/53
QA against National guidelines
 None7/17 (41.2)9/53 (16.4)
 Very infrequent3/17 (17.6)12/53 (22.6)
 Yes, ad hoc4/17 (23.5)9/53 (17.0)
 Yes, regularly3/17 (17.6)23/53 (43.3)
  • All data presented as n (%).

  • *P<0.05, compared with high volume.

  • †The denominator for responses varied as not all questions were answered by every respondent.

  • EBUS, endobronchial ultrasound; FTE, (fraction of) full time equivalent; MDT, multidisciplinary team; OCP, Optimal Care Pathway; QA, quality assurance.