Electronic Health Record-Integrated Tumor Board Application to Save Preparation Time and Reduce Errors.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Informatics
• Medical Communication

Background:

• Multidisciplinary tumor boards (TBs) are crucial for cancer patient care coordination.
• Current TB organization and case preparation are often inefficient, relying on manual data transfer and fragmented information retrieval.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel electronic health record-integrated application designed to automate and improve TB organization and preparation.
• To assess the impact of this digital tool on TB preparation efficiency, data accuracy, and clinical team communication.

Main Methods:

• A prospective evaluation comparing a new digital TB application with conventional preparation methods.
• Pathologists were timed during TB preparation; patient data entry errors were tracked.
• TB attendees completed satisfaction surveys regarding the digital application's usability and impact.

Main Results:

• The digital TB application reduced preparation time by 45% (5 hours and 19 minutes saved).
• 91% of survey respondents preferred the digital method, reporting improved meeting flow.
• The digital tool was perceived to positively impact subsequent patient care decisions.

Conclusions:

• Electronic health record-integrated systems can significantly optimize tumor board processes.
• Digital tools enhance the organization, preparation, and presentation of cancer cases.
• Implementing such systems has the potential to improve the overall multidisciplinary oncology meeting paradigm.