The time patients wait to learn if they have lung cancer has been slashed thanks to the Respiratory Fast Track Clinic service in Northland.
Northland District Health Board set up the clinic up in March last year, modelling it on a similar service offered by the Southern District Health Board.
The 'one stop shop' concept means a single appointment includes a first specialist assessment, CT (computed tomography) scan, follow-up and diagnosis. Biopsies can also be done on day one instead of across four or five days.
Early results show a startling improvement in wait times and treatment for lung cancer.
Before the Respiratory Fast Track Clinic, the process would normally require a patient to attend four to five appointments on separate days.