Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
Lung cancer is the single biggest cause of cancer death. The diagnostic pathway can be complex, including specialist cancer diagnostics that are not performed at every hospital. One such example is endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a day-case bronchoscopic procedure used for nodal staging and tissue...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2022-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Respiratory Research |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001321.full |
| _version_ | 1818017303954980864 |
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| author | Matthew Evison David Shackley Lisa Galligan-Dawson |
| author_facet | Matthew Evison David Shackley Lisa Galligan-Dawson |
| author_sort | Matthew Evison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lung cancer is the single biggest cause of cancer death. The diagnostic pathway can be complex, including specialist cancer diagnostics that are not performed at every hospital. One such example is endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a day-case bronchoscopic procedure used for nodal staging and tissue diagnosis. In this proof-of-concept pilot in Greater Manchester, we tested a novel digital EBUS booking platform. This platform was accessible across multiple acute care trusts and provided visibility of all available EBUS appointments, allowing referring teams to book directly into the appropriate slot. During a 6-month pilot, 193 EBUS procedures were booked through this new single-queue platform. The median waiting times reduced by 2 days from 9 to 7 days (22% reduction and saving approximately 386 days in total) and reduced variation in waiting times by 1 day from 5 to 4 days (20% reduction). 98% of patients who completed an experience of care survey felt the process was ‘very well’ or ‘well’ organised and 77% felt the most important factor in deciding where to have their EBUS was the earliest possible appointment regardless of travel. This proof-of-concept pilot has shown improvements in cancer waiting times with significant future potential in delivering specialist cancer diagnostics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:25:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a3987447f6340d6a1d68475f6190e5b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2052-4439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:25:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Respiratory Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a3987447f6340d6a1d68475f6190e5b2022-12-22T02:06:02ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Respiratory Research2052-44392022-07-019110.1136/bmjresp-2022-001321Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemicMatthew Evison0David Shackley1Lisa Galligan-Dawson2Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester, UKSenior Leadership Team, Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, Greater Manchester, UKGreater Manchester Cancer Alliance, Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority, Manchester, UKLung cancer is the single biggest cause of cancer death. The diagnostic pathway can be complex, including specialist cancer diagnostics that are not performed at every hospital. One such example is endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a day-case bronchoscopic procedure used for nodal staging and tissue diagnosis. In this proof-of-concept pilot in Greater Manchester, we tested a novel digital EBUS booking platform. This platform was accessible across multiple acute care trusts and provided visibility of all available EBUS appointments, allowing referring teams to book directly into the appropriate slot. During a 6-month pilot, 193 EBUS procedures were booked through this new single-queue platform. The median waiting times reduced by 2 days from 9 to 7 days (22% reduction and saving approximately 386 days in total) and reduced variation in waiting times by 1 day from 5 to 4 days (20% reduction). 98% of patients who completed an experience of care survey felt the process was ‘very well’ or ‘well’ organised and 77% felt the most important factor in deciding where to have their EBUS was the earliest possible appointment regardless of travel. This proof-of-concept pilot has shown improvements in cancer waiting times with significant future potential in delivering specialist cancer diagnostics.https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001321.full |
| spellingShingle | Matthew Evison David Shackley Lisa Galligan-Dawson Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic BMJ Open Respiratory Research |
| title | Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Regional single-queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway: accelerating cancer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | regional single queue scheduling platform for specialist diagnostics in the lung cancer pathway accelerating cancer recovery from the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001321.full |
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