ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S2276

Interdisciplinary – Health economics & health services research

ESTRO 2025

Conclusion: The response time of our Radiation Oncology Department for breast and gynecologic cancer patients is generally adequate, with an average referral-to-consultation time of 6.4 days. However, there is a need to further minimize delays, as a shorter interval is critical to ensure that the overall time from referral registration to treatment initiation—including clinical assessment and treatment planning—remains within optimal limits. This approach is essential to prevent delays that could negatively impact patient prognosis. Targeted interventions are therefore recommended to improve timely access and uphold high standards of care for all patients.

Keywords: Healthcare, delay in care, radiation oncology

1248

Digital Poster Optimizing Workup Pathways To Decrease Radiotherapy Wait Times And Improve Patient Experience: Timely Access And Patient Support (TAPS) Model of Care Kwamena Beecham 1 , Amanda Caissie 2 , Abdulmajeed Dayyat 3 , Ashraf Mahmoud-Ahmed 1 , Helmut Hollenhorst 2 , Enam Alsrayheen 4 , Aimee Brenna 1 1 Radiation Oncology, Cape Breton Cancer Centre, Sydney, Canada. 2 Radiation Oncology, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre, Halifax, Canada. 3 Radiation Oncology, Cancer Care Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. 4 Research & Innovation, Cape Breton Cancer Centre, Sydney, Canada Purpose/Objective: Wait-times are challenging for accessing radiotherapy (RT) in underserved and rural communities. Beyond the standards of referral to consult and consult to treatment, certain centers have established a “ready-to-treat” (RTT) definition to address the patient need for further investigations from consult to enable a treatment plan. In this study, a Timely Access and Patient Support (TAPS) model of care has been implemented at the Cape Breton Cancer Center to improve access to care and, ultimately, patient outcomes. Material/Methods: This comparative cohort study was conducted in CBCC, serving communities in the Eastern Zone in Nova Scotia, Canada. In collaboration with a Radiation Oncologist (RO), the TAPS clinic is run by a Nurse Practitioner who provides an assessment, orders tests and ensures patient has support services and is RTT by time of RO consult. Newly suspected/diagnosed adult cancer patients referred to CBCC with a triage priority of ≥2 weeks were eligible.