404: Infusion order improvement at Cancer Center

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH) is a private, not-for-profit community healthcare system that serves the Big Bend region, providing a wide range of medical services, including specialized oncology and hematology care through its Cancer Center. The Cancer Center is crucial in supporting patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy and blood transfusions. Approximately 66% of patients who receive these services travel from outside Tallahassee. The patient often must go to the Cancer Center multiple times per week, which can burden those traveling longer distances.

We aimed to reduce the distance patients traveled for essential lab appointments by exploring the possibility of redirecting eligible patients to alternative lab locations closer to their homes. To do this, we analyzed patient travel data and the capabilities of alternate labs. By decentralizing lab work, we sought to minimize patient travel distances and enhance the overall patient experience.