How should our MDT organize its work before, during, and after meetings?

The following is a list of tasks that MDTs will benefit by performing, along with suggestions for those responsible for the work.
 
Before the Meeting

1. The Coordinator takes the lead in keeping the member list, sending out meeting notices, arranging the meeting space, and having any information or resources ready for the discussion.
2. The Chair and the Coordinator set and share the meeting agenda with MDT members.
3. If the MDT is engaging in case review, the Coordinator identifies cases and prepares them for review by the MDT members are who are legally permitted to receive that information.

 During the Meeting

1. The Chair calls the meeting to order, presides over the meeting, and enforces any agreed-upon rules of engagement during the meeting discussions.
2. The Secretary takes attendance and notes during the meeting.
3. In a case review MDT, the Coordinator might also be responsible for presenting case information for discussion.
4. While the Facilitator might be the Coordinator or the leader who called the meeting, it is hard for anyone to both facilitate AND participate in the content of discussions.  Using an external facilitator might be advisable at times.
5. The Chair might end the meeting by leading the members in an informal self-evaluation to assess whether members’ expectations for the meeting were met, the extent to which the team’s values were upheld during the meeting, and how the MDT wants to improve its work in the next meeting.

 After the Meeting

1. The Coordinator shares the minutes, saves the agenda and minutes to the MDT archives, and engages members to take any actions specified by case discussions.
2. Individual MDT members follow-up on any action items discussed during the MDT meeting.
3. The Coordinator maintains a roster of the members of the MDT and uses that to help identify gaps in professional representation.
4. If new recruits join the MDT, then the Coordinator or another designated volunteer orients them to the MDT’s work and structure prior to the first meeting.

MDT membership will change and evolve over time. MDT members will need to periodically discuss assigning these roles and responsibilities to different individuals as transitions happen.