IMPROVING CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH THYROID CANCER

Abstract

The aim: Obtaining evidence for an interdisciplinary approach to the clinical management of patients with thyroid cancer, identifying weak areas and justifying opportunities for improvement. Materials and methods: Data from 410 medical records of inpatients with thyroid cancer and 17 units of formalized documents of the health care facility where the study was conducted. Methods: statistical, graphic, comparative analysis, descriptive modeling, generalization. Results: Patients’ need for interdisciplinary care were determined by cancer itself and by the presence of 234 cases of accompanying pathologies and complications in 147 (35.9%) patients. Interdisciplinary interaction is positioned as the provision of medical care by the medical staff of the unit where the patient stays and receives expert care. Treatment planning is carried out through the advisory participation of physicians of different specialties, rather than multidisciplinary consensus. Clinical management of the patient and discharge are carried out by the attending physician. Clinical pathways are designed for the department where the patient is hospitalized. Opportunities for pre- and postoperative rehabilitation are not used. Interaction with primary and secondary care facilities is limited. Conclusions: The key directions of improving the clinical management of patients with thyroid cancer are identified: to improve the patient’s clinical path, to strengthen interdisciplinary interaction of specialists through the use of digital technologies, to make clinical decision through the multidisciplinary consensus.