It’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month. What can you and your teams do to reduce the chance of a delayed diagnosis of lung cancer? Lori Atkinson shares some strategies.
I’ve been reviewing malpractice claims for over thirty years and diagnostic error claims have always been one of the top three allegations made against clinicians and their organizations. I’m frequently asked if anything can be done to reduce or prevent them.
In the diagnostic error cases I’ve reviewed, cancer – primarily breast and lung – is the top delayed diagnosis. The contributing factors to the delay include the failure to fully appreciate patient symptoms, the failure to order diagnostic testing, and the failure to establish a robust differential diagnosis list to rule out cancer.
Lung cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, with a high mortality rate due to late-stage diagnosis. Diagnosis of lung cancer can be difficult due to a lack of early and vague symptoms that can easily be mistaken for other, less severe conditions, like a persistent cough or respiratory infection.
Because November is lung cancer awareness month, clinicians and their care teams can implement several strategies to reduce the chance of a delayed diagnosis of lung cancer.
Promote education about early lung cancer risk screening using tools like Lung Cancer Risk Quiz | Saved By The Scan | American Lung Association, which also provides a printout for patients to take to their physician to start the conversation. One of the primary barriers to early lung cancer diagnosis is a lack of awareness. Many patients do not realize that symptoms like persistent cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain could be early signs of lung cancer.
Regular screenings for high-risk patients can significantly reduce the likelihood of a delayed lung cancer diagnosis. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans can help reduce lung cancer mortality by detecting cancers at an earlier stage.
Primary care providers (PCPs) are often the first point of contact for patients with potential symptoms of lung cancer. Enhancing PCP training in early detection can help ensure that suspicious symptoms are recognized, even when they are subtle or nonspecific.
For patients with a potential lung cancer diagnosis, the time between initial suspicion and specialist referral is critical. Implementing streamlined referral pathways can reduce bottlenecks and ensure patients quickly see the appropriate specialists for further testing.
CDSS in EHRs can flag high-risk patients based on criteria like age, smoking history, and symptom clusters and remind PCPs to consider lung cancer as a potential diagnosis. Encourage PCPs to use validated risk prediction models for patients with a history of smoking or respiratory symptoms, enabling more informed clinical decisions.
Lung Cancer Resources
American College of Chest Physicians
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Curi clients, if you have any questions about this topic, please call 800-328-5532 to speak with one of Curi Advisory's Risk Solutions experts.
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