A systematic scoping review of multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services: the need for bariatric surgery research

This review aims to identify and map the extent and nature of published research investigating multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services and evaluate the relevance of the evidence base to bariatric surgery. A systematic search of CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted from inception to June 2022, focusing on observational studies that examined multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services. Data were synthesized narratively. Of the 483 articles screened, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on oncology teams (n = 4), were conducted in the context of multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings (n = 4), and employed quantitative methodologies (n = 5). Sample sizes for qualitative studies ranged from 11 to 88 participants, while quantitative studies involved 47 to 1,636 participants; where patient cases were the unit of analysis instead, sample sizes ranged from 50 to 298 cases. The composition of professional groups varied across studies, though all included nurses. Despite the widespread recommendation and adoption of multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical care, only eight relevant studies were identified, and none addressed bariatric surgery specifically. These findings highlight a significant gap and underscore the need for further research on multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services, particularly in the field of bariatric surgery.