Experience with an automated cancer protocol surveillance system.

At an active cancer center, patients may be on a large number of different treatment protocols. Each of these protocols has its own examination, test, and treatment modification requirements. It is often difficult for the clinician to keep track of the protocol requirements on all of his patients, so elements of the protocol may be inadvertently omitted. To assist the physician in managing these patients, a computerized protocol surveillance system was developed and implemented at a major cancer center. Compliance with protocol requirements was studied prior to and after introduction of the automated protocol system. There was a statistically significant (p less than 0.02) improvement in nonroutine test ordering (from 80 to 95%) and therapeutic modification (from 91 to 99%) compliance. Introduction of an automated protocol surveillance system can result in improved protocol compliance.