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Charles Prabhakar



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    P2.11 - Screening and Early Detection (Not CME Accredited Session) (ID 960)

    • Event: WCLC 2018
    • Type: Poster Viewing in the Exhibit Hall
    • Track:
    • Presentations: 1
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 9/25/2018, 16:45 - 18:00, Exhibit Hall
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      P2.11-27 - A Rapid Access Lung Cancer Clinic Reduces Variation in Lung Cancer Diagnostic and Treatment Services. (ID 11792)

      16:45 - 18:00  |  Author(s): Charles Prabhakar

      • Abstract

      Background

      The Western NSW Local Health District has one of the highest incident and mortality rates of lung cancer in Australia. Previous research revealed that there was a significant variation in timely access to lung cancer diagnostic and treatment services. In 2015, the Respiratory Clinic at Dubbo Base Hospital introduced a lung cancer fast track clinic which aimed to review all patients referred by GPs for lung cancer assessment within 14 days of referral.

      a9ded1e5ce5d75814730bb4caaf49419 Method

      A retrospective medical records audit of all patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer from July 2016 to August 2017 was conducted. Interval times from Referral to Diagnosis, Diagnosis to First Treatment and Referral to First Treatment were recorded. Diagnostic and treatment referral time intervals were compared for patients residing within a 100km radius of the referral hospital (Local patients) and those whose place of residence was beyond the 100km radius (Remote patients). We also compared overall survival rates between Fast track and non-fast track pathway patients.

      4c3880bb027f159e801041b1021e88e8 Result

      55 patients were included in the study. 82%, 37% and 50% of patients met our District recommended time intervals of 21, 21 and 42 days for Referral to Diagnosis, Diagnosis to First Treatment and Referral to First Treatment, respectively. Time taken to access diagnostic and treatment services was not statistically different for remote versus local patients. Patients referred through a lung cancer fast track clinic had a higher probability of surviving for at least 12 months following a diagnosis (51% versus 28%; CI 0.002 - 4.37) than non- fast track pathway patients.

      8eea62084ca7e541d918e823422bd82e Conclusion

      The lung cancer fast track clinic has resulted in equitable access to diagnostic and referral services at Dubbo Base Hospital in the Western NSW local Health District of Australia. We have now introduced a lung cancer rapid access system in all our facilities within the district and are extending that to cover lung cancer treatment services. Future studies looking at larger populations are needed to evaluate the possible improvements in lung cancer survival rates.

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