Breast cancer treatment process -- new and improved?

On Monday and Tuesday some thirty representatives from my health care system met to map out the present state of the local breast cancer treatment process and make a plan for an improved “future state.” This photo shows the flow chart for the way things are currently being handled, the complexity of which didn’t surprise me one little bit.

Present were two customers, as they called us – two of us who had recently been through the process. Also present were the planning experts, oncologists, radiologists, lab technicians, primary care doctors, plastic surgeons, general surgeons, and the manager of the chemo facility.

For sixteen total hours, I was in the spotlight as I told my stories, gave my impressions, and suggested how things might have gone more smoothly.

The other patient wasn’t as inclined to speak up as I was. She had gone through treatment without asking questions, just “going with the flow” as she told me. I, on the other hand, was the opposite kind of patient, curious about every step and frustrated by lack of information along the way. It was good for the medical people to be reminded that not all patients are alike – and whoever was in charge of choosing the patients to be involved did an excellent job of hitting both ends of the spectrum!

By the end of the second day I marveled at how well the new plan fell into place and how much of it reflected what I’d had to offer.

Of course putting the plan into action will be the hard part, and I’m glad I get to just walk away. I hope I never have to see how successfully the new plan is implemented, but it’s a good feeling to think that newly diagnosed women may find things a little less frustrating and confusing somewhere down the road at least partly because I’ve never been afraid to complain!