Relational coordination and healthcare management in lung cancer José Antonio Vinagre Romero, Juan Del Llano Señarís, Carmen De Pablos Heredero, Mark Nuijten José Antonio Vinagre Romero, Clinical Management, Business Organization, Entrepreneurship, Health Administration, Business Organization, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Respiratory Unit at La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain Juan Del Llano Señarís, Community Health, Gaspar Casal Foun- dation, Universidad Pompeu Fabra-CRES, 28006 Madrid, Spain Carmen De Pablos Heredero, Economics, Rey Juan Carlos University, School of Social Sciences, Doctoral Program in Busi- ness Organization and Entrepreneurship, 28032 Madrid, Spain Mark Nuijten, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus Uni- versity, University of Maastricht and the University of Gronin- gen, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Author contributions: All authors contributed to this paper. Correspondence to: José Antonio Vinagre Romero, RN, MSc in Clinical Management, MSc in Business Organization, MSc in Entrepreneurship, Master of Health Administration, PhD Candidate in Business Organization, Universidad Rey Juan Car- los, Respiratory Unit at La Paz University Hospital, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain. joseantonio.vinagre@salud.madrid.org Telephone: +34-61-6860921 Received: August 12, 2014 Revised: October 22, 2014 Accepted: October 31, 2014 Published online: December 16, 2014 Abstract In the current socio-economic scenario characterized by a growing shortage of resources and progressive bud- get constraints, the need to better coordinate process- es in health institutions appears as a relevant aspect to ensure the future sustainability of system. In this sense, Relational Coordination (RC) provides a valuable opportunity for the reconfguration of clinical guidelines concerning isolated single-level considerations. In this research the RC model has been applied to explain best results in the process of diagnosing and offering clinical treatments for lung cancer. Lung cancer presents the higher rates of tumor’s mortality worldwide. Through unstructured and informal interviews with clinicians at both levels (Primary/Specialist Care), a diagnosis of the situation in relation to joint management of lung cancer is provided. Solutions of continuity in terms of coordi- nation are explained due to the observation of lack of effective knowledge transfer between the two levels. It is this disconnection which justifes the introduction of a modifed model of RC for the study and implementa- tion of transfer relations between the knowledge hold- ers, in order to structure consolidated and cooperative evidence-based models that lead to a substantial short- ening in the response times with a marked outcomes improvement. To our knowledge, the application of this model to a Public Health problem bringing together both levels of care, hasn’t been made till now. © 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved. Key words: Relational Coordination; Lung cancer; Clini- cal pathway; Dialogic practices; High performance work systems; Healthcare performance Core tip: Innovative managerial frameworks have to be put into practice when treating severe diseases. Rela- tional Coordination makes possible to enhance inter-level knowledge networks to obtain better outcomes from the perspective of the National Health System and the pa- tients. Through systematic revision, it has been checked that only in the fields of Endocrinology and Psychiatry have these frameworks been applied. This model tries to establish a coordinative solution within the feld of Oncol- ogy, implementing the Theory of Relational Coordination as a tool to get optimal results in lung cancer. Romero JAV, Señarís JDL, Heredero CDP, Nuijten M. Relational coordination and healthcare management in lung cancer. World J Clin Cases 2014; 2(12): 757-768 Available from: URL: http:// www.wjgnet.com/2307-8960/full/v2/i12/757.htm DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v2.i12.757 INTRODUCTION In the current schemes of complex pathologies manage- REVIEW Submit a Manuscript: http://www.wjgnet.com/esps/ Help Desk: http://www.wjgnet.com/esps/helpdesk.aspx DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i12.757 World J Clin Cases 2014 December 16; 2(12): 757-768 ISSN 2307-8960 (online) © 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved. World Journal of Clinical Cases W JC C December 16, 2014|Volume 2|Issue 12| WJCC|www.wjgnet.com 757