open access
A 4.000 € way to improve perceived quality and meet expectations of thyroid cancer patients receiving therapeutic dose of Iodine-131
, 23, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1
Affiliations- Nuclear Medicine Department, Academic General Hospital “AHEPA”, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
- CAP Sante, Radiation Therapy Department, Bastia, France
- milliVolt — Radiation Physics, Bastia, France
- General Hospital of Thessaloniki “Georgios Gennimatas”, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Medical Physics Laboratory, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
- Division of HIV/AIDS Epidemiological Surveillance, National Public Health Organization (EODY), Athens, Greece
- Nuclear Medicine Department, Cancer Hospital of Thessaloniki “Theagenio”, Thessaloniki, Greece
open access
Abstract
Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant disease of the endocrine system and radioiodine therapy (RAIT) is still very often used, resulting in patients staying hospitalized for a few days alone and without visitors, augmenting their stress and discomfort. Our objective was to find simple ways of improving RAIT patients’ feelings and perceived quality of the nuclear medicine (NM) department services. Material and methods: We designed a two-year study in order to enhance RAIT patients’ perceived quality of the nuclear medicine (NM) department services and expectations’ fulfillment. A questionnaire was used in order to capture patients’ perceived quality and expectations from their RAIT. Results: 549 replies were collected. Many intrinsic and extrinsic determinants were found to be positively or negatively related to the perceived quality and fulfillment of patients’ expectations of receiving RAIT. A 1% increase could be achieved by spending 110 € per RAIT room. Conclusions: In this article, we present some easily implemented changes in both personnel behavior and room amenities that could, at least in theory and based on our results, offer a 37.9% improvement in RAIT patients’ perceived quality and expectations’ fulfillment at a cost of 4169 €.
Abstract
Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant disease of the endocrine system and radioiodine therapy (RAIT) is still very often used, resulting in patients staying hospitalized for a few days alone and without visitors, augmenting their stress and discomfort. Our objective was to find simple ways of improving RAIT patients’ feelings and perceived quality of the nuclear medicine (NM) department services. Material and methods: We designed a two-year study in order to enhance RAIT patients’ perceived quality of the nuclear medicine (NM) department services and expectations’ fulfillment. A questionnaire was used in order to capture patients’ perceived quality and expectations from their RAIT. Results: 549 replies were collected. Many intrinsic and extrinsic determinants were found to be positively or negatively related to the perceived quality and fulfillment of patients’ expectations of receiving RAIT. A 1% increase could be achieved by spending 110 € per RAIT room. Conclusions: In this article, we present some easily implemented changes in both personnel behavior and room amenities that could, at least in theory and based on our results, offer a 37.9% improvement in RAIT patients’ perceived quality and expectations’ fulfillment at a cost of 4169 €.
Keywords
RAIT; perceived quality; thyroid cancer
About this articleTitle
A 4.000 € way to improve perceived quality and meet expectations of thyroid cancer patients receiving therapeutic dose of Iodine-131
Journal
Issue
Article type
Letter to the Editor
Pages
138-140
Published online
2022-06-27
Page views
4235
Article views/downloads
393
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Nucl. Med. Rev 2022;25(2):138-140.
Keywords
RAIT
perceived quality
thyroid cancer
Authors
Evanthia Giannoula
Christos Melidis
Nikitas Papadopoulos
Panagiotis Bamidis
Vasilios Raftopoulos
Vasiliki Chatzipavlidou
Ioannis Iakovou
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