Biopsy Ratio of Suspected to Confirmed Sarcoma Diagnosis

Transdisciplinary sarcoma care: a model for sustainable healthcare transformation

No abstract available.

Benchmarking Time-to-Treatment Initiation in Sarcoma Care Using Real-World-Time Data

Benchmarking is a fundamental tool for enhancing quality within a patient-centered healthcare framework. This study presents an analysis of time-to-treatment initiation (TTI) for sarcoma patients, utilizing a database encompassing 266 cases from the Swiss Sarcoma Network. Our findings indicate a median TTI of 30 days across the cohort, with bone sarcomas and deep soft tissue sarcomas demonstrating a shorter median TTI of 28 days, followed by superficial soft tissue sarcomas at 42 days. The data reveal that the use of real-world-time data (RWTD) may account for a longer TTI observed, as it offers more comprehensive capture of patient journeys, unlike conventional datasets. Notably, variability in TTI was observed between different treatment institutions, which underscores the need for standardized processes across centers. We advocate for a selective referral system to specialized centers to prevent capacity overload and ensure timely treatment initiation. Our analysis also identified significant delays in TTI for unplanned 'whoops'-resections, highlighting the importance of early specialist referral in optimizing treatment timelines. This study emphasizes the potential benefits of a streamlined, data-informed approach to sarcoma care. However, further research is required to establish the direct impact of integrated care models on TTI and patient outcomes in the context of sarcoma treatment.

Unlocking the Power of Benchmarking: Real-World-Time Data Analysis for Enhanced Sarcoma Patient Outcomes

Benchmarking is crucial for healthcare providers to enhance quality and efficiency, notably for complex conditions like sarcomas. Multidisciplinary teams/sarcoma boards (MDT/SBs) are vital in sarcoma management, but differences in their processes can affect patient outcomes and treatment costs, despite adherence to international guidelines. To address this issue, this study aimed to compare two MDT/SBs and establish an interoperable digital platform, Sarconnector®, for real-time-world data assessment and automated analysis. The study included 983 patients, 46.0% of whom female, with a median age of 58 years, and 4.5% of patients presented with metastasis at diagnosis. Differences were observed in the number of first-time presentations, follow-up presentations, primary sarcomas, biopsies and chemotherapy indications between the two MDT/SB. The results highlight the importance of benchmarking and utilizing a harmonized data approach, such as the RWT approach provided by the Sarconnector®, to standardize and evaluate quality and cost metrics. By identifying areas of improvement and making data-driven decisions on the meta-level, healthcare providers can optimize resources and improve patient outcomes. In conclusion, benchmarking with the RWT harmonized data approach provided by the Sarconnector® can help healthcare providers improve the overall effectiveness of the healthcare system and achieve better outcomes for their patients in terms of both outcomes and costs.