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Implementing large scale fast track diagnostics in a comprehensive cancer center, pre- and post-measurement data

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Health Services Research, February 2018
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  • Good Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (66th percentile)
  • Average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source

Mentioned by

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1 policy source
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1 X user

Citations

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11 Dimensions

Readers on

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78 Mendeley
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Title
Implementing large scale fast track diagnostics in a comprehensive cancer center, pre- and post-measurement data
Published in
BMC Health Services Research, February 2018
DOI 10.1186/s12913-018-2868-5
Pubmed ID
Authors

W. H. van Harten, N. Goedbloed, A. H. Boekhout, S. Heintzbergen

Abstract

In general, patients with a cancer suspicion visit the hospital multiple times before diagnosis is completed. Using various "operations management" techniques a few fast track diagnostic services were implemented in the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in 2006. Growing patient numbers and increasing process complexity, led to diminished service levels. To decrease the amount of patient visits and to extend these services beyond the (obvious) breast cancer services, fast track diagnostics is now implemented for all 18 cancer types that present with a frequency of minimally one per week. The throughput time (first visit to diagnosis conversation) was measured before, and after implementation of fast track diagnostics. The process was redesigned closely involving the multidisciplinary teams. In an eclectic approach elements from lean management, theory of constraints and mathematical analysis were used to organize slots per tumor type for MRI, CT, PET and echography. A post measurement was performed after 3 and 6 months. In pre measurement access time was calculated to be 10 to 15 workdays, mean throughput time was 6.0 workdays. It proved possible to design the process of 18 tumors as a fast track, of which 7 as "one stop shop" (diagnosis completed in one visit). Involvement of clinical- and board leadership, massive communication efforts and commitment of physicians to reschedule their work proved decisive. After 3 and 6 months of implementation, the mean access time was 8.2 and 8.7 workdays respectively and mean throughput time was 3.4 and 3.3 workdays respectively. Throughput- and access time were considerably shortened after implementation of fast track diagnostics for 18 cancer types. The involvement of physicians in reorganizing their work and rapid responding to their needs during the implementation phase were a crucial success factor.

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X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profile of 1 X user who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 78 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 78 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 12 15%
Student > Ph. D. Student 10 13%
Student > Doctoral Student 7 9%
Unspecified 5 6%
Professor 5 6%
Other 14 18%
Unknown 25 32%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Engineering 10 13%
Medicine and Dentistry 9 12%
Nursing and Health Professions 8 10%
Unspecified 5 6%
Business, Management and Accounting 4 5%
Other 10 13%
Unknown 32 41%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 4. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 03 March 2020.
All research outputs
#7,033,701
of 23,020,670 outputs
Outputs from BMC Health Services Research
#3,454
of 7,707 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#144,135
of 437,836 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Health Services Research
#106
of 182 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,020,670 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 68th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 7,707 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.8. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 54% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 437,836 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 66% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 182 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 41st percentile – i.e., 41% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.