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The 2015 National Cancer Program in Sweden: Introducing standardized care pathways in a decentralized system

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  • Wilkens, Jens
  • Thulesius, Hans
  • Schmidt, Ingrid
  • Carlsson, Christina

Abstract

Starting in 2015, the Swedish government has initiated a national reform to standardize cancer patient pathways and thereby eventually speed up treatment of cancer. Cancer care in Sweden is characterized by high survival rates and a generally high quality albeit long waiting times. The objective with the new national program to standardize cancer care pathways is to reduce these waiting times, increase patient satisfaction with cancer care and reduce regional inequalities. A new time-point for measuring the start of a care process is introduced called well-founded suspicion, which is individually designed for each cancer diagnosis. While medical guidelines are well established earlier, the standardisation is achieved by defining time boundaries for each step in the process. The cancer reform program is a collaborative effort initiated and incentivized by the central government while multi-professional groups develop the time-bound standardized care pathways, which the regional authorities are responsible for implementing. The broad stakeholder engagement and time-bound guidelines are interesting approaches to study for other countries that need to streamline care processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Wilkens, Jens & Thulesius, Hans & Schmidt, Ingrid & Carlsson, Christina, 2016. "The 2015 National Cancer Program in Sweden: Introducing standardized care pathways in a decentralized system," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(12), pages 1378-1382.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:120:y:2016:i:12:p:1378-1382
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2016.09.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Probst, Helene Bilsted & Hussain, Zubair Butt & Andersen, Ole, 2012. "Cancer patient pathways in Denmark as a joint effort between bureaucrats, health professionals and politicians—A national Danish project," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(1), pages 65-70.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohammad Mohammadi Roozbehani & Ehsan Heydarian-Forushani & Saeed Hasanzadeh & Seifeddine Ben Elghali, 2022. "Virtual Power Plant Operational Strategies: Models, Markets, Optimization, Challenges, and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, September.
    2. Mæhle, Per Magnus & Smeland, Sigbjørn, 2021. "Implementing cancer patient pathways in Scandinavia how structuring might affect the acceptance of a politically imposed reform," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(10), pages 1340-1350.
    3. Schmidt, Ingrid & Thor, Johan & Davidson, Thomas & Nilsson, Fredrik & Carlsson, Christina, 2018. "The national program on standardized cancer care pathways in Sweden: Observations and findings half way through," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(9), pages 945-948.

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