Advancing Oncology Care Excellence through Timely, Multidisciplinary-Navigation Models for Non-Palliative Breast and Colorectal Cancer

Abstract Background Cancer impacts patients, families, and healthcare systems. The journey of a cancer patient is marked by delays in diagnosis and treatment which exacerbate their physical and emotional burdens and significantly impact prognosis. This work aimed at establishing a structured cancer care pathway and assessing its effect on the timeliness of care and patient satisfaction and quality of life. Methods This project comprised the development and implementation of a cancer care pathway at Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital (Taif, Saudi Arabia) which was assessed using timeline mapping of cancer care road maps and quasi-experimental pre- and post-evaluation design. The intervention incorporated a multidisciplinary team, nurse case managers as cancer navigators, engaging patients/families in the care journey, spreading awareness via social media for early diagnosis of cancer, and the use of virtual clinics for follow-up. Results This project, conducted from the January 2023 to August 2024, resulted in a remarkable reduction in the average treatment interval of cancer patients (114. 3 to 59. 6, P =. 002), improvement in the average FACT-G7 score as a measure of patient quality of life (13. 1 to 25. 2 90 days after discharge, P. 001), a positive impact on patient satisfaction (46% to 95%, P =. 013), and simulated cost savings of 10, 918, 600 (SAR 40, 944, 750) secondary to decreased hospital utilization and enhanced patient outcomes. Conclusions This work highlights the crucial role of a multidisciplinary-cancer navigator approach to improving the oncology patient journey in terms of the timeliness of care and patient satisfaction and quality of life.