The days between a new cancer diagnosis and the next oncologist appointment are agonizing. This hard truth made one Florida hospital commit to act quicker.
This year is set to be a taxing one for the U.S. cancer care system. New diagnoses are projected to hit a high in the United States and exceed 2 million for the first time, amounting to nearly 5,500 cancer diagnoses a day, according to the American Cancer Society. Hospitals and health systems are rethinking how best to structure and deliver care for newly diagnosed cancer patients.
One hospital taking on this work is Jupiter (Fla.) Medical Center. Leaders at the independent Palm Beach County hospital recognized a trendline that called for change, with demand for oncology services up by 40% over the past two years.
"A few years ago we embarked upon a journey and were very purposeful about developing a true patient-centered cancer program," Jupiter Medical Center CEO Amit Rastogi, MD, told Becker's. "There were a few different components to that. One is because we know that cancer is a very complex disease. It's very longitudinal, can go on for months or many years, and it's also very multidisciplinary to address all aspects of cancer."
The 248-bed hospital made numerous organizational changes, including the centralization of services in a single location, enhancing care team collaboration and workflows, and expediting access for newly diagnosed patients.
Or, in other words, guaranteeing that patients who receive a cancer diagnosis today can secure an appointment with an oncologist tomorrow.
Launched in November 2022, the "Next Day Appointments" program is a significant improvement for patients in Palm Beach County, who were typically waiting two to three weeks between their cancer diagnosis and an oncologist consultation.
Now, any patient throughout the region who receives a cancer diagnosis is eligible to be seen by one of the hospital's medical, surgical or radiation oncologists the following day for a thorough examination, discussion of cancer type and staging, and standards for treatment. The guaranteed 24-hour window has streamlined access to cancer specialists, expedited treatment, improved patient satisfaction, and reduced anxiety and stress on the patient and their family.
Time already seems to move in slow motion when you receive a cancer diagnosis, but especially if the next oncologist appointment is weeks away. Depending on the stage of cancer, delays can also contribute to adverse outcomes. In such instances, the sooner a patient can receive attention, even a matter of weeks, can significantly impact treatment and results.
A next-day guarantee is exceptional for newly diagnosed cancer patients; even some of the most prominent cancer institutions in the country note that next-day appointments are a possibility but not a surety. The overall median time to treatment was 27 days for patients with early-stage breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, renal and pancreas cancers from 2004 through 2013, according to a 2019 study.
Dr. Rastogi, board certified in internal medicine, finds the commitment extra meaningful given that cancers usually are first diagnosed by primary care physicians.
"As a primary care physician, when you see a patient — whether their first visit or taking care of them for 10 years — you see how important it is for them and their families to be able to gain access to specialty care," Dr. Rastogi said. The program has been constructive for patients but their primary care teams, too, who can ensure patients obtain oncologist access in a timely fashion to seek the next step needed in their care.
Next-day appointments also took buy-in from stakeholders in addition to the physicians, including nursing teams, front-desk staff and operations. The program is led by Rogerio Lilenbaum, MD, senior vice president, chief physician executive and director of the hospital's Anderson Family Cancer Institute, and Angelia Palahunik, executive director of oncology for the hospital.
"So many folks were involved. It took a lot of work by a lot of people to make that happen; it's not easy to do," Dr. Rastogi said. "But our physicians, our nurses — everybody felt and continues to feel this is the right thing to do and that's why we continue to provide the service."
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