A Better Patient Experience in the Management of Incidental Lung Nodules

Recognizing the need for better care coordination and prompted by the experience of a patient partner, WellSpan Health embarked on a multispecialty effort to reimagine how incidental nodules are managed through the lens of the Quadruple Aim: improving the patient and provider experience, lowering per capita cost of care, and optimizing the health of populations. The new care delivery model identifies, implements, and expedites patient lung nodule care in real time and provides consistent follow-up along the continuum of care. The result: patient outcomes are optimized by early intervention of undiagnosed lung cancer. This care delivery model for incidental lung nodule findings can serve as a springboard for other incidental findings and help detect other early carcinomas.

Guest:

Nikhilesh Korgaonkar, MD, MBA, FACS

Thoracic Surgeon

Chief Medical Officer

Wellspan Health Cancer Institute

“One thing I will say is that I cannot understate the importance of marking sure all the stakeholders are on board with a program like this. We have stakeholders in radiology, in primary care, in pulmonology, and, of course, in administration. And this program is the result of making sure everyone was on the same page with the goals and the desired outcomes of this program. And that really set this program for success.”

Read more in “Reimagining Healthcare for Incidental Lung Nodules” in Volume 38, Number 2, Oncology Issues.

Resources:

·       Oncology Capture of ED Patients with Incidental Radiologic Findings

·       Addressing ED Incidental Imaging Findings Through Navigation

·       A Small, Island Community Hospital Removes Barriers to Lung Cancer Screening and Detection

·       Engaging Patients & Assisting Primary Care Physicians in Lung Cancer Screening

·       The Rapid Access Chest and Lung Assessment Program

·       Development & Evolution of an Incidental Lung Lesion Program