Quality indicators for non-small cell lung cancer operations with use of a modified Delphi consensus process

Background: The aim of this project was to develop a set of quality indicators to assess surgical decision making in the care of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: A multidisciplinary Expert Panel of 16 physicians used a modified Delphi process to identify quality indicators that evaluated the processes of care in patients with NSCLC. A systematic review identified potential indicators, which were rated on actionability, validity, usefulness, discriminability, and feasibility in two rounds of questionnaires. The first questionnaire was completed by the Expert Panel and by the larger thoracic surgical community of practice; the second questionnaire was sent to only the Expert Panel. Expert Panel members attended an in-person meeting to review the results of the two questionnaires and to compile the final list of indicators by consensus.

Results: From the literature review, 41 potential indicators were identified. An additional 16 indicators were suggested by the Expert Panel: 13 indicators in the two rounds of questionnaires and three after the discussion at the in-person meeting. One further indicator was identified after the in-person meeting. In the end, 17 indicators were chosen from seven domains: preoperative assessment, staging, surgical procedures, pathology, adjuvant therapy, surgical outcomes, and miscellaneous

Conclusions: By use of a modified Delphi process, 17 indicators to assess the quality of processes of surgical care for patients with NSCLC were developed.