Implementation of a formalized evaluation and planning tool to improve pediatric oncology outcomes in Kenya

Abstract

BackgroundSurvival from pediatric cancers in low middle‐income countries is often very low compared to that of high‐income countries due to multifactorial etiologies, including late presentation, delayed diagnosis, difficulty with accessing healthcare, drug unavailability, and treatment abandonment. The St. Jude Pediatric Oncology Facility Integrated Local Evaluation Tool (PrOFILE) was developed to map and evaluate childhood cancer healthcare delivery in individual institutions and entire countries, identifying the strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for advancement of care.ProcedureUsing the PrOFILE self‐assessment tool, selected Kenyan pediatric oncology facilities entered data into 12 modules: national context, facility and local context, finances and resources, personnel, service capacity, service integration, diagnostics, chemotherapy, supportive care, surgery, radiation therapy, and patients and outcomes. These modules are grouped into five specific components, including Context, Workforce, Diagnostics, Therapy, and Patients and Outcomes. The St. Jude PrOFILE team analyzed the data and organized the first hybrid workshop, containing both in‐person and virtual components.ResultsMultidisciplinary stakeholders prioritized recommendations for improving care and developed smart objectives to accomplish identified goals over the following 2 years. Strengths and weaknesses of conducting a hybrid global workshop were identified.ConclusionsWe demonstrated successful use of the PrOFILE tool to conduct a hybrid workshop and identify strategies to improve pediatric oncology care in Kenya. The voluntarily structured work groups will methodically aim to achieve outcome‐oriented goals moving forward.