Advancing oncology care excellence through timely, multidisciplinary-navigation models for non-palliative breast and colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: Cancer impacts patients, families, and healthcare systems. The journey of a cancer patient is marked by delays in diagnosis and treatment which exacerbate their physical and emotional burdens and significantly impact prognosis. This work aimed at establishing a structured cancer care pathway and assessing its effect on the timeliness of care and patient satisfaction and quality of life. METHODS: This project comprised the development and implementation of a cancer care pathway at Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital (Taif, Saudi Arabia) which was assessed using timeline mapping of cancer care road maps and quasi-experimental pre- and post-evaluation design. The intervention incorporated a multidisciplinary team, nurse case managers as cancer navigators, engaging patients/families in the care journey, spreading awareness via social media for early diagnosis of cancer, and the use of virtual clinics for follow-up. RESULTS: This project, conducted from the January 2023 to August 2024, resulted in a remarkable reduction in the average treatment interval of cancer patients (114.3-59.6, P = .002), improvement in the average FACT-G7 (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General 7) score as a measure of patient quality of life (13.1-25.2 90 days after discharge, P < .001), a positive impact on patient satisfaction (46%-95%, P = .013), and simulated cost savings of $10 918 600 (SAR 40 944 750) secondary to decreased hospital utilization and enhanced patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: This work highlights the crucial role of a multidisciplinary-cancer navigator approach to improving the oncology patient journey in terms of the timeliness of care and patient satisfaction and quality of life.