Background
Quality measurement is changing as technology offers new possibilities. Whilst historical audit and feedback remains relevant, clinicians and Multidisciplinary Teams are increasingly looking towards the future of near-real time clinical analytics capabilities for informed decision making and focusing quality improvement efforts.
Aim
This study aims to explore the use and impact of analytic feedback programs and digital tools to monitor quality of care and patient outcomes within oncology services.
Methods
Two collection methods were used:
(1) A systematic review of interventions utilising near-real time oncology data to drive analytic feedback programs was conducted.A search strategy was guided by the PICO Framework and executed in four databases. Two reviewers screened abstracts and full-text manuscripts. Data was extracted using a tailored version of the Cochrane EPOC abstraction tool to identify intervention characteristics and effectiveness.
(2) A purposeful sample of international leaders participated in qualitative interviews designed to capture the lived experiences of implementing analytic feedback programs and digital tools to support these systems. A thematic analysis of recorded transcripts used Grounded Theory to establish key themes.
Results
(1) A total of 15 articles and12 interventions were included in the extraction and analysis of the review.
(2) A total of 15 interview participants comprised of clinical (n=12), research (n=11), government (n=5) and health service (n=7) leaders completed one-hour interviews.
The synthesised findings of both indicate that data sources (eMRs, registries and patient reported outcome tools) linked to feedback methods (interactive dashboards, action toolboxes, reports, performance scorecards, academic detailing) are commonly used. Key success factors of clinical analytic feedback programs include; selection of actionable quality indicators, data access, multidisciplinary clinical ownership, action based feedback and technology platforms.
Conclusion
These findings support an interactive multidisciplinary approach to quality measurement, feedback and active improvement utilising quality oncology eMR, cancer registry and patient reported outcome data.