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.
在患者为中心的医疗保健体系中，基准测试是提升医疗质量的重要工具。本研究基于瑞士肉瘤网络涵盖266例病例的数据库，对肉瘤患者的治疗启动时间进行了分析。研究发现，该队列患者的中位治疗启动时间为30天，其中骨肉瘤和深部软组织肉瘤的中位治疗启动时间较短，为28天，而浅表软组织肉瘤则为42天。数据显示，与传统数据集相比，真实世界时间数据因其能更全面地记录患者诊疗历程，可能导致观察到的治疗启动时间延长。值得注意的是，不同治疗机构间的治疗启动时间存在差异，这凸显了各中心标准化流程的必要性。我们建议建立选择性转诊体系，将患者转至专科中心，以避免医疗资源超负荷并确保及时启动治疗。分析还发现，非计划性"意外"切除手术患者的治疗启动时间显著延迟，这进一步证实了早期专科转诊对优化治疗时间线的重要性。本研究强调了采用精简且数据驱动的肉瘤诊疗模式可能带来的益处，但未来仍需进一步研究，以明确综合诊疗模式对肉瘤患者治疗启动时间及临床结局的直接影响。
Benchmarking Time-to-Treatment Initiation in Sarcoma Care Using Real-World-Time Data
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家