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Country/JA: Sweden flag Sweden
Action type: Policy initiative

Problem: Sweden has implemented standardized cancer care pathways (CCPs) to reduce waiting times and ensure timely and quick diagnosis/treatment, however, there was variability in how these CCPs were implemented in each of Sweden’s 21 county councils.

Objective: To utilize an existing national database to enable monitoring and comparing of the implementation of CCPs in the 21 country councils to ensure equal access to cancer care across Sweden.

Implementation status: Initative fully implemented and ongoing

Key Contextual Factors

  • The Swedish association of local authorities and regions are responsible for the database.
  • Regional cancer centres are responsible for data presentation and supporting analysis.
  • The particular target groups are councils, politicians and citizens.

Key Components/Steps

  • A standard set of codes / measure points to monitor the patient experience at local, regional and national levels.
  • Established descriptions on how to use the codes
  • Developed infrastructure for continuous gathering data from all county councils
  • Built up analytic capacity
  • Presented data online and sent out reports on outcomes to county councils on a regular basis
  • In addition a national patient reported experience measures (PREM) questionnaire was also created an sent to all patients within the CCP to gather patient experience

Main Impacts / Added Value

  • Provides an effective tool to ensure that the county councils follow the CCPs and a tool to discuss differences in waiting times in cancer care with the county councils.
  • Provides a direct way to get patient feedback on the cancer care.

Lessons Learned

  • All county councils have different information technology systems which makes it difficult to deliver data automatically.
  • Making data publicly available online leverages its value by triggering county councils to improve delivery of services.
  • It is important to engage health care professionals in both the reporting of data and discussion of outcomes.

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References and Documentation

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