Exploring wait time variations in a prostate cancer patient pathway-A qualitative study.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Oncology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Norwegian health authorities aim for equitable healthcare access via cancer patient pathways (CPPs).
• Prostate cancer statistics reveal disparities in wait times between local and university hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify health system-related factors influencing variations in diagnostic wait times for prostate cancer patients.
• To compare these factors between local and university hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 18 healthcare workers through semi-structured interviews.
• Systematic text condensation used for thematic analysis of interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Four key factors identified: capacity/competence, logistics/efficiency, need for specialized investigations, and extra consultations.
• Local hospitals frequently reported capacity limitations compared to university hospitals.
• Centralized surgery led to patient transfers, adding steps and time to the cancer patient pathway (CPP).

Conclusions:

• Variations in wait times are influenced by internal hospital organization of cancer patient pathways (CPPs) and inter-hospital patient transfer processes.
• Hospital capacity differences are a significant driver of wait time disparities.
• Additional steps in patient transfers contribute to extended time within the cancer patient pathway (CPP).