Scalp Cooling: Implementation of a Program at a Multisite Organization.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Patient Care Management
• Medical Device Implementation

Background:

• Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is a common side effect of cancer treatment.
• Scalp cooling machines offer a method to minimize chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
• Organizations face barriers when establishing scalp cooling programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation experience of a machine-based scalp cooling program in a large, multisite organization.
• To highlight the process and outcomes of establishing a standardized scalp cooling program.

Main Methods:

• An interprofessional team, led by nursing staff, addressed program components.
• Eight sites implemented machine-based scalp cooling using a unified process.
• The program was replicated at six additional sites for various solid tumor types.

Main Results:

• A structured, collaborative, and interprofessional approach enabled standardization of care across multiple sites.
• Successful implementation and replication demonstrate the feasibility of the program.
• The program expanded to include solid tumor types beyond breast cancer.

Conclusions:

• A standardized, interprofessional approach is effective for implementing machine-based scalp cooling programs.
• This model can be replicated in other healthcare institutions.
• Scalp cooling programs can be successfully scaled across diverse sites and patient populations.