JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In the rapidly evolving landscape of breast cancer treatment, the incorporation of agile values from software engineering offers a promising avenue for enhancing patient care. However, a notable gap exists in reflecting the agile values into a language comprehensible to breast cancer professionals.

Objective:

Our objective is to propose breast cancer treatment agile values that are adopted and adapted from the software engineering field. Also, to investigate their conformance to agility in breast cancer context.

Methods:

Applied the design science research methodology to identify, design, and evaluate the breast cancer treatment four agile values. Through two interviews, we have revisited and rearticulated the four agile values into language that resonates with breast cancer treatment professionals. The four agile values are validated by a domain expert and discussed through work supported from literature

Results:

Four agile values were identified for breast cancer treatment, and among those values it was validated that three of them conform agility. The value of documentation and the quality of the documentation is vital for breast cancer treatment planning and management. Thus, it does not conform agility. None of the agile values were recorded as hybrid

Conclusions:

The work shows a novel contribution to knowledge in identifying the first set of agile values in the breast cancer treatment through multidisciplinary research. Three of them were evaluated as meeting agility, where only one value resulted not meeting this agility to enhance the agility of the rest values. It is anticipated that the four agile values can drive the treatment strategies, policies, protocols, and procedures to enhance delivery of care. It is concluded that the breast cancer treatment agile values are not limited to four.