Process Improvement for Clinical Follow-Up of Incidental Lung Nodules: A Practical Perspective.

Abstract

Follow-up of incidental lung nodules in real-world clinical practice is often inconsistent and suboptimal. Improving these follow-up processes presents a complex challenge, particularly for institutions without existing infrastructure. Although advanced tools such as natural language processing and artificial intelligence hold promise, many successful programs have relied on low-cost, manual approaches tailored to local workflows and resource availability. This article outlines a practical, experience-based framework for enhancing incidental lung nodule follow-up across diverse health care settings-including those with limited resources-by proposing scalable, feasible strategies that help bridge the gap between evidence-based guidelines and routine clinical practice.