A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Standard

A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. / Vandborg, Mai Partridge; Edwards, Kasper; Kragstrup, Jakob; Vedsted, Peter; Hansen, Dorte Gilsa; Mogensen, Ole.

In: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, Vol. 22, No. 5, 06.2012, p. 712-717.

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Vandborg, MP, Edwards, K, Kragstrup, J, Vedsted, P, Hansen, DG & Mogensen, O 2012, 'A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer', International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 712-717. https://doi.org/10.1097/IGC.0b013e31824c6d0e

APA

Vandborg, M. P., Edwards, K., Kragstrup, J., Vedsted, P., Hansen, D. G., & Mogensen, O. (2012). A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 22(5), 712-717. https://doi.org/10.1097/IGC.0b013e31824c6d0e

Vancouver

Vandborg MP, Edwards K, Kragstrup J, Vedsted P, Hansen DG, Mogensen O. A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. 2012 Jun;22(5):712-717. https://doi.org/10.1097/IGC.0b013e31824c6d0e

Author

Vandborg, Mai Partridge ; Edwards, Kasper ; Kragstrup, Jakob ; Vedsted, Peter ; Hansen, Dorte Gilsa ; Mogensen, Ole. / A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. In: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. 2012 ; Vol. 22, No. 5. pp. 712-717.

Bibtex

@article{72a90e0462e548be811cac37dca7bd1f,
title = "A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer",
abstract = "Objective: The aim of this article is to present a new methodology to illustrate, understand, and measure delay in health care. The method is inspired by process mapping tools as analytical framework and demonstrates its usefulness for studying diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. Materials and Methods: Six women with a diagnostic delay of 6 weeks or more before treatment of gynecological cancer at a specialized regional department (the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Denmark) were included in the study. Maps of existing processes were performed for each patient reflecting the patients' pathway through the course of the disease. We combined 2 process mapping tools, namely, value stream mapping and business process modeling notation. The first method identifies the flow in a process as timelines. The latter introduces a set of easily recognizable graphical elements. Results: Detailed information concerning the cancer patients' pathway was obtained. The method visualized the complexities within the diagnostic pathway. The role of different participants (patient, general practitioner, and local hospitals) became clear by arranging activities according to responsibilities and was shown to recurrently influence and contribute to the delay in the diagnostic process. Some important contributors to diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer, such as lack of cancer suspicion, competing diseases, negative test results, inexpedient referral patterns, and referrals without cancer suspicion, were found. Conclusions: Our results point out process mapping tools as a potential analytical framework to illustrate, understand, and measure delay in health care. Furthermore, the method was able to identify important contributors to the diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer patients.",
keywords = "Diagnostic delay, Gynecological cancer, Process mapping",
author = "Vandborg, {Mai Partridge} and Kasper Edwards and Jakob Kragstrup and Peter Vedsted and Hansen, {Dorte Gilsa} and Ole Mogensen",
year = "2012",
month = jun,
doi = "10.1097/IGC.0b013e31824c6d0e",
language = "English",
volume = "22",
pages = "712--717",
journal = "International Journal of Gynecological Cancer",
issn = "1048-891X",
publisher = "Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ltd.",
number = "5",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - A new method for analyzing diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer

AU - Vandborg, Mai Partridge

AU - Edwards, Kasper

AU - Kragstrup, Jakob

AU - Vedsted, Peter

AU - Hansen, Dorte Gilsa

AU - Mogensen, Ole

PY - 2012/6

Y1 - 2012/6

N2 - Objective: The aim of this article is to present a new methodology to illustrate, understand, and measure delay in health care. The method is inspired by process mapping tools as analytical framework and demonstrates its usefulness for studying diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. Materials and Methods: Six women with a diagnostic delay of 6 weeks or more before treatment of gynecological cancer at a specialized regional department (the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Denmark) were included in the study. Maps of existing processes were performed for each patient reflecting the patients' pathway through the course of the disease. We combined 2 process mapping tools, namely, value stream mapping and business process modeling notation. The first method identifies the flow in a process as timelines. The latter introduces a set of easily recognizable graphical elements. Results: Detailed information concerning the cancer patients' pathway was obtained. The method visualized the complexities within the diagnostic pathway. The role of different participants (patient, general practitioner, and local hospitals) became clear by arranging activities according to responsibilities and was shown to recurrently influence and contribute to the delay in the diagnostic process. Some important contributors to diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer, such as lack of cancer suspicion, competing diseases, negative test results, inexpedient referral patterns, and referrals without cancer suspicion, were found. Conclusions: Our results point out process mapping tools as a potential analytical framework to illustrate, understand, and measure delay in health care. Furthermore, the method was able to identify important contributors to the diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer patients.

AB - Objective: The aim of this article is to present a new methodology to illustrate, understand, and measure delay in health care. The method is inspired by process mapping tools as analytical framework and demonstrates its usefulness for studying diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer. Materials and Methods: Six women with a diagnostic delay of 6 weeks or more before treatment of gynecological cancer at a specialized regional department (the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Denmark) were included in the study. Maps of existing processes were performed for each patient reflecting the patients' pathway through the course of the disease. We combined 2 process mapping tools, namely, value stream mapping and business process modeling notation. The first method identifies the flow in a process as timelines. The latter introduces a set of easily recognizable graphical elements. Results: Detailed information concerning the cancer patients' pathway was obtained. The method visualized the complexities within the diagnostic pathway. The role of different participants (patient, general practitioner, and local hospitals) became clear by arranging activities according to responsibilities and was shown to recurrently influence and contribute to the delay in the diagnostic process. Some important contributors to diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer, such as lack of cancer suspicion, competing diseases, negative test results, inexpedient referral patterns, and referrals without cancer suspicion, were found. Conclusions: Our results point out process mapping tools as a potential analytical framework to illustrate, understand, and measure delay in health care. Furthermore, the method was able to identify important contributors to the diagnostic delay in gynecological cancer patients.

KW - Diagnostic delay

KW - Gynecological cancer

KW - Process mapping

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863653596&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1097/IGC.0b013e31824c6d0e

DO - 10.1097/IGC.0b013e31824c6d0e

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22453532

AN - SCOPUS:84863653596

VL - 22

SP - 712

EP - 717

JO - International Journal of Gynecological Cancer

JF - International Journal of Gynecological Cancer

SN - 1048-891X

IS - 5

ER -

ID: 324138084