Improving Lung Cancer Screening Rates Through an Evidence-Based Electronic Health Record Smoking History.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death globally and in the US, with smoking as a primary risk factor.
• A specific community experienced higher rates of late-stage lung cancer diagnoses (62%) and increased mortality compared to national averages (56%).

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement evidence-based changes within an electronic health record (EHR) system.
• To improve early lung cancer detection rates among high-risk individuals in the community.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an electronic health record system to identify patients at high risk for lung cancer.
• Facilitated referrals for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for eligible high-risk patients.
• Employed interprofessional teams to integrate technology and evidence-based practices.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 24% increase in the detection of early-stage lung cancer within the community.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of EHR-supported screening in improving diagnostic timelines.

Conclusions:

• Technology integration, specifically EHR modifications, enabled interprofessional teams to adopt evidence-based practices.
• The implemented strategy successfully improved early lung cancer detection and community health outcomes.