Electronic tumor board presentations as the basis for the development of a head and neck cancer database

Abstract

Background Multidisciplinary team meetings or tumor boards (TBs) form a pivotal component of oncology practice. The crux of a TB revolves around making treatment decisions based on succinct head and neck cancer (HNC) patient data presentations, which can be challenging and complex. Apart from meticulous TB presentations, discussions and treatment plan documentation is equally important. The aim of this study was to structure an electronic synoptic TB data presentation to address all these areas. The overarching benefits of systematic TB data collection include facilitating audits and research. Methods We utilized a secure web‐based tool that was used for common scientific research purposes but customized to store HNC patient data. The data points were tabulated across eight TB pages: (a) TB scheduling, (b) patient biodata, (c) diagnosis details, (d) index presentation, (e) images, (f) management and histopathology, (g) TB presentation, and (h) TB discussion and decisions. Each data point leads to additional fields by branching logic to permit further relevant data entry. This was integrated within the patient electronic medical records allowing for a direct internal trajectory to recall TB data. Results From October 2015 to October 2018, we recorded over 2000 presentations for 1279 individual patients. This is a quality improvement initiative, and hence, the results are more of a broad analysis of our TB presentation process. The most common cancers were squamous cell (523, 41%), thyroid (207, 16%), and nasopharyngeal (139, 11%) carcinomas. Importantly, this system has formed the basis for a number of clinical and translational research projects and audit outcomes. Conclusion Despite TBs being vital to oncologic practice, little attempt has been made to report TB data management. In this study, we present an efficient system that permits the integration of dual functions: TB data presentation and oncologic data collection for research, recall, and audit purposes.

Transition to a virtual multidisciplinary tumor board during the COVID‐19 pandemic: University of Pittsburgh experience

“…There are a few options for building a virtual MDC documentation database. Rangabashyam et al utilized the REDCap web application, Research Electronic Data Capture (https://www.project-redcap.org/), in order to document each aspect of MDC case presentation: scheduling, biodata, diagnosis, presentation, imaging, histopathology, management plan, MDC discussions and decisions 28 . This system proved to be efficient as it could be embedded into the existing electronic medical record system.…”

Virtual Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards: A Narrative Review Focused on Lung Cancer

“…The data recording should be goal-oriented: all the participants should have access to patients' information and may be able to edit them. Some web applications like Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) are used to document the vMTB meetings, and register patient information such as diagnosis, histopathology, and the board's decisions [48].…”

Transition to a Virtual Multidisciplinary Tumor Board during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The University of Pittsburgh Experience

“…Rangabashyam et al . utilized the REDCap web application, Research Electronic Data Capture (https://www.project-redcap.org/), in order to document each aspect of MDC case presentation: scheduling, biodata, diagnosis, presentation, imaging, histopathology, management plan, MDC discussions and decisions 28 . This system proved to be efficient as it could be embedded into the existing electronic medical record system.…”