Margarett Shnorhavorian1, Leah Kroon, Howard Jeffries, Rebecca Johnson. 1. Department of Urology, Division of Pediatric Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA. margarett.shnorhavorian@seattlechildrens.org
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is limited literature on strategies to overcome the barriers to sperm banking among adolescent and young adult (AYA) males with cancer. By standardizing our process for offering sperm banking to AYA males before cancer treatment, we aimed to improve rates of sperm banking at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Continuous process improvement is a technique that has recently been applied to improve health care delivery. We used continuous process improvement methodologies to create a standard process for fertility preservation for AYA males with cancer at our institution. We compared rates of sperm banking before and after standardization. RESULTS: In the 12-month period after implementation of a standardized process, 90% of patients were offered sperm banking. We demonstrated an 8-fold increase in the proportion of AYA males' sperm banking, and a 5-fold increase in the rate of sperm banking at our institution. DISCUSSION: Implementation of a standardized process for sperm banking for AYA males with cancer was associated with increased rates of sperm banking at our institution. This study supports the role of standardized health care in decreasing barriers to sperm banking.
BACKGROUND: There is limited literature on strategies to overcome the barriers to sperm banking among adolescent and young adult (AYA) males with cancer. By standardizing our process for offering sperm banking to AYA males before cancer treatment, we aimed to improve rates of sperm banking at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Continuous process improvement is a technique that has recently been applied to improve health care delivery. We used continuous process improvement methodologies to create a standard process for fertility preservation for AYA males with cancer at our institution. We compared rates of sperm banking before and after standardization. RESULTS: In the 12-month period after implementation of a standardized process, 90% of patients were offered sperm banking. We demonstrated an 8-fold increase in the proportion of AYA males' sperm banking, and a 5-fold increase in the rate of sperm banking at our institution. DISCUSSION: Implementation of a standardized process for sperm banking for AYA males with cancer was associated with increased rates of sperm banking at our institution. This study supports the role of standardized health care in decreasing barriers to sperm banking.
Authors: Molly B Moravek; Leslie C Appiah; Antoinette Anazodo; Karen C Burns; Veronica Gomez-Lobo; Holly R Hoefgen; Olivia Jaworek Frias; Monica M Laronda; Jennifer Levine; Lillian R Meacham; Mary Ellen Pavone; Gwendolyn P Quinn; Erin E Rowell; Andrew C Strine; Teresa K Woodruff; Leena Nahata Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2019-01-14 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: James L Klosky; L Elizabeth Anderson; Kathryn M Russell; Lu Huang; Hui Zhang; Leslie R Schover; Jessica L Simmons; William H Kutteh Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2016-12-18 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Amy C Tishelman; Megan E Sutter; Diane Chen; Amani Sampson; Leena Nahata; Victoria D Kolbuck; Gwendolyn P Quinn Journal: J Assist Reprod Genet Date: 2019-01-03 Impact factor: 3.412
Authors: Leena Nahata; Taylor L Morgan; Keagan G Lipak; Randal S Olshefski; Cynthia A Gerhardt; Vicky Lehmann Journal: J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol Date: 2019-11-13 Impact factor: 2.223
Authors: James L Klosky; Fang Wang; Kathryn M Russell; Hui Zhang; Jessica S Flynn; Lu Huang; Karen Wasilewski-Masker; Wendy Landier; Marcia Leonard; Karen H Albritton; Abha A Gupta; Jacqueline Casillas; Paul Colte; William H Kutteh; Leslie R Schover Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2017-10-04 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Leena Nahata; Taylor M Dattilo; Anna L Olsavsky; Keagan G Lipak; Stacy Whiteside; Nicholas D Yeager; Anthony Audino; James L Klosky; Joseph Rausch; Amanda Saraf; Sarah H O'Brien; Gwendolyn P Quinn; Cynthia A Gerhardt Journal: J Assist Reprod Genet Date: 2021-02-10 Impact factor: 3.357
Authors: Irit Ben-Aharon; R Abir; G Perl; J Stein; G Gilad; H Toledano; S Elitzur; G Avrahami; A Ben-Haroush; G Oron; E Freud; D Kravarusic; M Ben-Arush; G Herzel; I Yaniv; S M Stemmer; B Fisch; S Ash Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2016-08-09 Impact factor: 4.430