Reducing Chemotherapy Waiting Times in the Ambulatory Setting of a Tertiary Cancer Centre Using a Design Thinking...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Healthcare Process Improvement
• Patient Flow Management

Background:

• Chemotherapy administration involves complex preparatory processes.
• Long wait times can negatively impact patient experience and treatment efficiency.
• A hypothesis was formed to utilize design thinking for process redesign.

Purpose of the Study:

• To redesign chemotherapy preparatory processes using a design thinking approach.
• To reduce patient wait times from appointment to treatment initiation.
• To enhance the efficiency and timeliness of chemotherapy delivery.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary team conducted process mapping to analyze current workflows.
• Solutions were proposed and tested based on feasibility and desirability.
• Interventions focused on timely initiation of morning treatments and scheduling pre-made regimens.

Main Results:

• Median time to start morning treatment decreased by 46% (83 to 45 minutes).
• Overall median treatment start time improved by 39% (77 to 47 minutes).
• The use of pre-made chemotherapy regimens increased by 258% (28.5% to 71.7%).
• Patient treatment initiation within one hour of appointment increased from 32.8% to 62.3%.

Conclusions:

• A data-driven, design thinking methodology effectively reduced chemotherapy wait times.
• The implemented approach demonstrated significant improvements in patient flow and treatment timeliness.
• This adaptable strategy can be applied to enhance other healthcare processes empathetically and sustainably.