Development of Health Pathways to Standardize Cancer Care Pathways Informed by Patient-Reported Outcomes and Clinical...

High-quality symptom management and supportive care are essential components of comprehensive cancer care. We aimed to describe the development of an evidence-based automated decisional algorithm for patients with cancer that had specific, actionable, clinical, evidence-based recommendations to improve patient care, communication, and management.

We reviewed existing literature and clinical practice guidelines to identify priority domains of patient care and potential clinical recommendations. Two multidisciplinary clinical advisory groups used a two-stage consensus decision-making approach to determine domains of care and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures and subsequently developed automated algorithms with clear clinical recommendations amendable to intervention in clinical settings.

Algorithms were developed to inform management of patient symptoms, distress, and unmet needs. Three PRO measures were chosen: Distress Thermometer and problem checklist, Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, and the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Screening Tool 9. PRO items were mapped to five domains of patient well-being: physical, emotional, practical, social and family, and maintenance of well-being. A total of 15 actionable clinical recommendations tailored to specific issues of concern were established.

Using automated algorithms and clinical recommendations provides a platform for streamlining and systematizing the use of PROs to inform risk-stratified guideline-informed care. The series of algorithms, which set out systematized care pathways for the clinical care of patients with cancer, can be used to potentially inform patient-centered care.