An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Development and Implementation of Electronic Treatment Orders in a Medical Oncology Department

This article provides a review of the interdisciplinary approach, implementation methods, and subsequent outcomes of transitioning to an electronic-based chemotherapy and biotherapy ordering system in a community hospital–based ambulatory medical oncology department. The electronic medical record solution system platform that was used in this setting was Cerner PowerChart®, which is certified by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.

At a Glance

• An interdisciplinary team–based approach is required to attain and maintain the development of evidence-based oncology electronic order templates for chemotherapy and biotherapy regimens.
• Keeping safety as the cornerstone for chemotherapy ordering allows the cancer care team to leverage the integration of technology and successfully transfer from a paper process to computerized order entry.
• Continuous assessment and data tracking of the electronic ordering process permits the team to track barriers, accomplishments, and outcomes.