Automatic Referral for Potential Thoracic Malignant Diseases Detected on Computed Tomographic Scan

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Thoracic Surgery
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Delays in care impact patients with resectable thoracic malignant diseases.
• An automatic referral process was implemented by the Alberta Thoracic Oncology Program for suspicious chest CT scans.
• The study aimed to assess the impact of automatic referrals on referral times and information quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if automatic referral decreases time to referral for thoracic malignant diseases.
• To evaluate if automatic referral affects the quality of information received.
• To analyze the efficiency of the Alberta Thoracic Oncology Program's referral system.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patients referred to a tertiary thoracic surgical center.
• Calculation of time from CT scan to referral date.
• Comparison of automatic and traditional referral groups using statistical tests (t test, Mann-Whitney U) and multivariable analysis.

Main Results:

• Automatic referrals significantly reduced average time to referral (4.7 days vs 23.6 days; P < .001).
• Fewer automatic referrals exceeded the 30-day referral benchmark compared to traditional referrals.
• No significant difference in the quantity of referral information provided between automatic and traditional referrals.

Conclusions:

• Automatic referrals substantially decrease delays in care for thoracic malignant disease patients.
• This expedited process may lead to improved patient outcomes, including reduced upstaging and enhanced survival.
• Automatic referrals streamline care without compromising the quality of referral data.