title: Challenges in the delivery of quality breast cancer care: initiation of adjuvant hormone therapy at an urban safety net hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Breast cancer treatment disparities in racial/ethnic minority and low-income populations are well documented; however, underlying reasons remain poorly understood. This study sought to identify barriers to the delivery of quality breast cancer treatment, addressing compliance with the National Quality Forum (NQF) quality metric for adjuvant hormone therapy (HT; administration of HT within 365 days of diagnosis in eligible patients) at an urban safety net hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective, observational study included women diagnosed with nonmetastatic, T1c or greater, estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer from 2006 to 2008. Data sources included the hospital cancer registry and electronic medical record. Compliance with the NQF quality metric was defined as HT prescription within 365 days of diagnosis. Bivariate analysis compared compliant with noncompliant patients. Qualitative analysis assessed reasons for delayed compliance (HT at > 365 days) and never compliance (no HT at 4 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 113 eligible patients, the majority were racial/ethnic minority (56%), stage II (54%), unmarried (60%), and had public or no insurance (72%). Sixty-four percent were compliant, and 36% were noncompliant. Of the noncompliant, 78% had delayed compliance, and 22% were never compliant. Noncompliant patients were significantly more likely to be Black, Hispanic, foreign-born, and stage III at diagnosis. Ten reasons for delayed compliance were identified, including patient- and system-level barriers. Most patients (56%) had more than one reason contributing to delay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urgently needed interventions to reduce disparities in breast cancer treatment should take into account obstacles inherent among immigrant and indigent populations and complexities of multidisciplinary cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Boston Medical Center; and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Meaghan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Naomi Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kachnic
authors.forename: Faber
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alvis
authors.forename: Tracy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Battaglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D064876:Safety-net Providers