ASCO Launches New Template To Document Chemotherapy Treatment And Survivor Care For Cancer Patients

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 24 Mar 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has expanded its tools to improve documentation and coordination of cancer treatment and survivorship care by developing a "generic" chemotherapy treatment plan and summary template that can be customized for almost any cancer diagnosis.

"The transition from active treatment to post treatment care is critical to long-term health," said Joseph Jacobson, MD, Chair-elect of ASCO's Quality of Care Committee. "If cancer care is not planned and coordinated, cancer survivors may be left without knowledge of their heightened risks or a follow-up plan of action."

Developing a generic template was an important step for community practices that see patients with a variety of diagnoses, Dr. Jacobson added. "The generic template gives oncologists the opportunity to integrate this system throughout their entire practice. It's a solution for almost any patient who walks through the door," he said.

The new generic cancer treatment plan and summary template joins breast and colorectal cancer treatment templates, which have been available online at http://www.asco.org/treatmentsummary since 2007. ASCO is continuing to develop and test treatment plans and summaries for additional cancer diagnoses, including several lung cancer templates that will be available this summer.

The goal of all of the cancer treatment plans and summaries is to improve patient treatment across health care settings by facilitating communication among oncologists, patients and other care providers. Some of the core elements of every treatment plan and summary include:

- The patient's diagnosis, including the cancer site, histology and stage.
- A summary of the chemotherapy and other treatment that is planned and actually delivered. - The reason treatment was stopped or modified, if relevant.
- Information on appropriate follow-up care and relevant providers.
- Information on evidence-based survivorship and surveillance guidelines from ASCO.

The oncologist should complete the chemotherapy treatment plan before the patient begins receiving chemotherapy, to map out the patient's planned treatment. After treatment is complete, the treatment summary will describe what care the patient actually received. The patient can keep these documents and share them with the doctors and other medical professionals who provide their follow up care.

Oncologists who are currently using the templates in their practices report positive results. Therese Mulvey, MD, an oncologist in Quincy, Mass., indicated that her patients like receiving the treatment plans and summaries because it helps them to better understand the treatment they have received, as well as clearly outlining the steps they need to take for their follow-up care.

ASCO also is developing strategies to incorporate these templates into oncology electronic health record (EHR) systems. "EHRs are an important vehicle for adopting quality care. ASCO has developed initiatives to advise and hasten adoption of EHRs among its members, along with the treatment summaries," said ASCO President Nancy Davidson, MD, director of the Breast Cancer Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

All ASCO treatment plan and summary templates are published in modifiable forms, allowing oncologists to customize and adapt them to suit their own practices.

The treatment plan and summary are not intended to replace detailed chart documentation, including complete patient histories or chemotherapy flow sheets. No single treatment plan can be appropriate for all patients; treating oncologists assume responsibility for tailoring the treatment summary to meet individual patient's needs.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 25,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit http://www.asco.org/presscenter. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at http://www.plwc.org.

American Society of Clinical Oncology