UNASSIGNED: 50 Background: Timeliness of care in @entity1 with newly diagnosed @entity2 is a controversial topic. Although some studies have concluded that timeliness does not improve clinical outcomes, many experts agree that timeliness is an important aspect of quality care as it leads to shorter duration of emotional distress during the diagnostic process and treatment initiation. METHODS: At the LSVAMC, we have established a 60-day time interval from first abnormal radiology to treatment initiation as our institutional standard of care. We have initiated several interventions to improve timeliness of care through our new @entity2 program launched in July 2012. These interventions, which were implemented over a 1 year period, include: 1) @entity358 rounds. 2) A @entity5 care tracking system. 3) A @entity2 -specific case manager who collaborates with all disciplines to expedite workup and treatment initiation. We have retrospectively reviewed all @entity1149 cases since the launch of the new @entity2 program (group 1) and compared the timeliness to a sample of @entity1 before the interventions (group 2). RESULTS: 58 @entity1 (group 1) and 107 @entity1 ( group 2) with @entity1149 were diagnosed and treated at the LSVAMC from January to July 2011 and July 2012 to May 2013 respectively. Median time from first abnormal radiology to first treatment was 104 days (range 13-375, mean 113.4) in group 1 and 81 days (range 1-261, mean 84.9) in group 2. Median time from diagnostic radiology to tissue diagnosis was 39 days (range 2-226, mean 66) in group 1 and 29 days (range 2-206, mean 42.6) in group 2. Median time from tissue diagnosis to first treatment was 23 days (range 0-177, mean 38) in group 1 and 28 days (range 0-254, mean 36.5) in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Timeliness of care in @entity1149 @entity1 at our center has improved. We still have not reached our target. Continued progress is expected as we transition to a multidisciplinary multi specialty @entity2 program.

Timeliness of care in @entity1 with XXXX ( @entity1149 ) at the Louis Stokes Veteran Affairs Medical Center (LSVAMC).

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['cancer'] @entity1149 :: ('MESH:D002289', 'Disease') :: ['NSCLC'] @entity2 :: ('MESH:D008175', 'Disease') :: ['lung cancer', 'care lung cancer'] @entity358 :: ('MESH:D008171', 'Disease') :: ['Weekly interdisciplinary lung nodule']
@entity1149 :: (MESH:D002289,Disease) :: ['non-small cell lung cancer']
