A Prompt for Discharge Summaries Decreases Delays in Postoperative Radiotherapy for Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

Category	Detail
Condition	Head and Neck Cancer
Key Mechanisms	Implementation of a discharge summary prompt to improve communication and scheduling for postoperative radiotherapy.
Target Population	Patients undergoing surgery for head and neck cancer requiring adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy.
Care Setting	Postoperative care in a surgical oncology context.

Up to 49% of patients fail to receive postoperative radiotherapy within the recommended 6-week window.
A quality improvement intervention was implemented to reduce delays in postoperative radiotherapy.
The intervention involved a standardized electronic health record prompt for discharge summaries.
Timely initiation of postoperative radiotherapy is linked to improved overall survival and locoregional control.
The study aims to replicate the intervention for broader adoption across institutions.

Implement quality improvement interventions to facilitate timely postoperative radiotherapy.

Track time to postoperative radiotherapy initiation and identify factors contributing to delays.

Delays in postoperative radiotherapy can lead to worse overall survival and locoregional control.

Patients aged 18 years or older undergoing surgery for head and neck cancer.

Adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is often required post-surgery.

Utilize electronic health record prompts to enhance communication regarding postoperative care.
Ensure timely scheduling of radiation oncology appointments post-surgery.

Clinical Scorecard: A Prompt for Discharge Summaries Decreases Delays in Postoperative Radiotherapy for Patients with Head and Neck Cancer