Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36419046›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2022

Introduction of a pilot program to measure and improve the clinical care of melanoma patients in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Poland: a report of 20 months experience.

Marcin Ziętek, Jędrzej Wierzbicki, Edyta Pawlak, Adam Maciejczyk, Rafał Matkowski

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 76% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 0 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Survivorship care for melanoma patients: a scoping review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Marcin ZiętekDepartment of Oncology, Wrocław Medical University, 12 Hirszfeld Square, 53-413, Wrocław, Poland. zietekm@op.pl.
Jędrzej WierzbickiDolnośląskie Centrum Onkologii, Pulmonologii i Hematologii (Lower Silesian Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology Center), 12 Hirszfeld Square, 53-413, Wrocław, Poland.
Edyta PawlakLaboratory of Immunopathology, Department of Experimental Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology & Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolf Weigl 12 Street, 53-413, Wroclaw, Poland.
Adam MaciejczykDepartment of Oncology, Wrocław Medical University, 12 Hirszfeld Square, 53-413, Wrocław, Poland.
Rafał MatkowskiDepartment of Oncology, Wrocław Medical University, 12 Hirszfeld Square, 53-413, Wrocław, Poland.
Wroclaw Medical University · PLLudwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy · PLPolish Academy of Sciences · PL

Funding

Minister of Health, Poland SUBZ.C280.22.001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn recent years, benchmarking and assessment methods to improve the quality of care have become increasingly important. Such approaches allow for a uniform assessment, comparisons between centers or over time, and the identification of weaknesses. In this study, the results of a 20-month pilot program to assess, monitor and improve the quality of care in melanoma patients primarily treated surgically are presented.

methodsThe pilot program started in May 2020 at the Lower Silesian Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology Center (LSOPHC) in Wroclaw, Poland (Lower Silesian Voivodeship, southwestern province of Poland with a population of 2,9 million). The program involved the introduction of a synoptic histopathological protocol, medical coordinators, and a set of measures to assess oncological care. In total, 11 Skin Cancer Unit (SCU) measures were introduced to analyze clinical outcomes, diagnostic quality, and duration. Data from 352 patients covered by the program were analyzed. In addition, the completeness of diagnostics from external sites was compared to our own results. Furthermore, the timeliness of the initial diagnostic tests and in-depth diagnostics were assessed and compared to the timeliness before implementation of the pilot program.

resultsThe introduced measures assessed the mortality related to oncological treatment, the rate of complications, advanced stages of melanoma, the completeness and duration of diagnostics, the involved nodes after lymphadenectomy, and melanoma screening. During the study period, the timeliness of the initial diagnostics was maintained at 87.8%, and the timeliness of the in-depth diagnostics at 89.5%. Compared to a similar period before the program, these values were 36.1% and 67.5%, respectively.

conclusionThe introduced measures seem to be effective and practical tools for benchmarking clinical and diagnostic aspects. They also allowed for a sensitive assessment of individual issues and indicated sensitive points. Furthermore, the actions undertaken in this pilot program allowed for a shortening of the duration of diagnostics.

Indexed as

MelanomaSkin NeoplasmsHumansMedical OncologyPilot ProjectsPolandBenchmarkingMelanomaPatient pathwayPilot studyQuality indicators

Identifiers

PMID36419046
PMCPMC9684787
OpenAlexW4309923967

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.