Tatjana Kolevska, MD
Cancer is one of the most difficult diagnoses a person can face. As a doctor and medical director of the Kaiser Permanent National Excellence Program, I have seen firsthand how powerful it can be when patients, and their doctors, have access to the second appropriate opinions of the Subcialists. In complex or strange cases, that additional experience can change the course of treatment and save lives.
That is why I am proud of the way in which our cancer expert review program is transforming attention. This virtual forum connects permanent oncologists with cancer subspecialists throughout the country, so it doesn’t matter where a patient lives, your attending physician can quickly consult with experts and access innovative treatment options. During the past year, this program has expanded at the 8 permanent medical slimps, arriving in patients from Hawaii to the middle Atlantic states.
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Behind this innovation there is a commitment to improve patient care and provide doctors with the support they need to provide the best key principles of care based on the value of permanent Kaiser. This pioneering approach can also serve as a model for efforts throughout the US health system to reduce delays and improve results.
Innovation and collaboration produce impressive results
It conforms to Kaiser Cancer Cancer innovations permanently identified the best evidence -based treatment pathways for most cancers. But obtaining contributions from experts for rare or complex bolts is not always easy, especially in cases where only a handful of subspecialists throughout the country that focus on a specific type of cancer.
Our cancer expert review program meets that challenge in front. It gives each permanent oncologist a way to quickly consult with experts in 11 cancer subspecialties, throughout the electronic health record system. Doctors present a request, and subspecialists check the case and respond with personalized recommendations for treatment and diagnosis.
Since the launch of the programs last year, doctors have requested more than 1,500 consultations, more than double the number included in the results recently published in Catalyst Nejm. At the time of publication, almost 700 consultations had been completed, with more than 80% delivered within 2 business days, exceeding the initial performance objectives. The doctors reported too much that expert reviews influenced patient care, and more than a third of the cases, led to a change in diagnosis or treatment.
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Same powerful is how much the cancer expert review program is improving the doctor’s experience. Doctors report wide satisfaction, indicating that the program is easy to use and reduces administrative load.
The secret of success
Virtual and collaborative review programs such as this represent the future of cancer care. There are several key factors that have made the implementation of Kaiser permanent a success and that other medical leaders can consider by designing similar services:
- Strong leadership support. The clear purchase and commitment of leadership and superior doctors help boost the adoption of the entire system.
- DESIGN PROSED BY THE MEDICAL. It is vital that doctors play a significant role in the development of programs aimed at supporting their clinical practice. Involve a team of medical leaders, oncologists, subspecialists and others allows intentional design and broad success.
- Increasing proven innovations. Paleing existing and successful innovations in cancer care can provide a solid base and help develop and implement a new scale program. It also helps build the doctor’s confidence.
- Designed for access and equity. Reaching as many patients as possible was the number one priority, so the system was designed to be widely available and highly individualized. The broader dissemination of the patient leads to a greater impact on the patient’s health in general.
Innovation in cancer care does not only come from technology. When we listen to doctors, we empower collaboration and build tools and systems that make care more precise and accessible, we create a future where more patients can get the attention they need, where they need it, regardless of how strange or complex their cancer is.
Tatjana Kolevska, MD, is the medical director of the National Program of National Excellence for Kaiser Cancer Care and President of the Oncology and Hematology Hematology Program of Northern California Kaiser.
Related content: Dr. Kolevska also joined the presenter Alex McDonald, MD, in a recent episode or Permanent chat Discuss the Cancer expert review program more depth, including the way in which AI and integrated care are improving the results for patients and experience for doctors.
