Evolution and Effects of Ad Hoc Multidisciplinary Team Meetings in the Emergency Intensive Care Unit: A Five-Year Analysis

Background: Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) are crucial in the ICU. However, daily rounds may not address all sensitive issues due to time constraints and the complexity of cases. This study aimed to describe detailed information and characteristics of ad hoc MDTMs in the ICU. Methods: This single-center, retrospective study analyzed adult emergency ICU admissions at Okayama University Hospital from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023. During this period, weekly regular multidisciplinary team ICU rounds were introduced in June 2020, and regular weekday morning MDTMs began in April 2022. A multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the impact of these changes on the frequency of ad hoc MDTMs, adjusting for variables including annual changes. Results: The study analyzed 2487 adult EICU patients, with a median age of 66, and 63.3% of them male. MDTMs were held for 168 patients (6.8%), typically those with severe conditions, including higher COVID-19 prevalence and APACHE II scores, and longer ICU stays. Despite a constant total number of MDTMs, the likelihood of conducting ad hoc MDTMs increased annually (adjusted OR 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04-1.35). Of the 329 MDTMs conducted for these patients, 59.0% addressed end-of-life care, involving an average of 11 participants, mainly nurses and emergency and critical-care physicians. Conclusions: Changes in ICU round and meeting structures might be associated with a higher frequency of conducting ad hoc MDTMs, highlighting their evolving role and importance in patient care management.