Enhancing Healthcare for Sarcoma Patients: Lessons from a Diagnostic Pathway Efficiency Analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Healthcare Management
• Diagnostic Pathways

Background:

• Sarcomas are rare tumors with poor survival rates, necessitating efficient diagnostic processes.
• Switzerland's costly healthcare system has limited research on rare conditions like mesenchymal tumors.
• Analyzing diagnostic intervals provides insights into healthcare efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine and optimize the total diagnostic interval for sarcomas in Switzerland.
• To identify factors influencing diagnostic pathway duration.
• To propose strategies for improving sarcoma care work-ups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1028 sarcoma patients (2018-2021) at the Swiss Sarcoma Board.
• Data extraction included demographics, treatment, patient interval, and diagnostic interval.
• Analysis focused on bone sarcoma (BS) and soft-tissue sarcoma (STS).

Main Results:

• The patient interval constituted the largest part of the total diagnostic time.
• The secondary care interval (SCI) was the primary bottleneck within the diagnostic interval.
• Increasing age, tumor size, and axial localization correlated with higher sarcoma probability and longer diagnostic times.

Conclusions:

• The patient and secondary care intervals (SCI) present the most significant opportunities for optimization.
• Integrated practice units (IPUs) within value-based healthcare (VBHC) are proposed for improved care coordination.
• Addressing SCI bottlenecks is crucial for enhancing sarcoma diagnosis efficiency.