{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,4]],"date-time":"2026-08-04T09:46:13Z","timestamp":1785836773923,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,26]],"date-time":"2026-07-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785024000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Curr. Oncol.","Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Waiting-room time is an important and neglected element of the outpatient experience in the field of oncology, which carries far-reaching consequences for overall patient satisfaction, perceptions of quality, and healthcare experience. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study, conducted at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, Canada, from October to December 2024. Results: We studied 418 patients with a mean age of 61.6 years. Overall, 59.6% of respondents had spent less than 30 min in the waiting room, while 56.2% accepted a delay of 15\u201330 min. Waiting for more than 30\u201345 min was perceived as long by 61% of participants. In regards to physician choice, 59.8% of respondents preferred to be seen by their known provider, while 30.9% were ready to meet another one, particularly in terms of scheduled regular follow-up and urgent appointments followed by consultations. Interestingly, chemotherapy visits were the least common type of appointment where patients agreed to see different providers. A significant association was identified between appointment types and readiness to change physicians (p &lt; 0.05). Although 78.7% agreed that delays were caused by complex conditions, only 29.2% received sufficient information about delays. Conclusions: Most gynecologic oncology patients want continuity of care, yet many are flexible with consultations, follow-up, and urgent visits. In outpatient clinics, patient-centered scheduling, balancing efficiency and patient satisfaction with better communication is an objective for system improvements.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol33080447","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T08:15:56Z","timestamp":1785140156000},"page":"447","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Improving Outpatient Cancer Care in Gynecologic Oncology: Understanding Patient Preferences During Their Waiting Room Experience"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"33","author":[{"given":"Latteefah","family":"Alnaeem","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"},{"name":"Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Faisal University, Alahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-1270-844X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wafa A.","family":"Almohri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mathematics Department, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6018-6503","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Clare","family":"Reade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8420-9316","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Waldo","family":"Jimenez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1104-7763","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah","family":"Mah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andra","family":"Nica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julie","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lua R.","family":"Eiriksson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecology Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"150","DOI":"10.1097\/00004479-200304000-00007","article-title":"Effects of Educational Intervention in Waiting Room on Patient Satisfaction","volume":"26","author":"Oermann","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. 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