Evaluation of oral chemotherapy prescribing at an outpatient oncology clinic.

Authors

null

George W. Carro

NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL

George W. Carro, Bruce Brockstein, Thomas A. Hensing, Patrick Joseph Fleming, Shannon Maureen Gavin, Wayne Spath, Abigail Harper, Wendy Hui, William J. Uhlig, Brad Hughes

Organizations

NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Chicago, IL, Kellogg Cancer Care Center, Evanston, IL

Research Funding

No funding sources reported

Background: Oral chemotherapy’s exponentially increasing role in the treatment of malignancies continues to pose unique challenges to oncology. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) drafted measures in the Chemotherapy Administration Safety Standards that help address some of these issues concerning oral chemotherapy. There is a lack of data describing the prescribing process for oral chemotherapy. In a retrospective chart review, prescriptions at a hospital-based outpatient oncology center were evaluated for completeness of prescribing and follow up measures. Methods: A retrospective chart review of ten oral chemotherapy medications from May 2012 to July 2012 was conducted. The primary outcome measure was compliance with ASCO and ONS Chemotherapy Administration Safety Standards. A secondary outcome was frequency of pharmacist interventions on oral chemotherapy prescriptions. Results: 412 prescriptions were evaluated. Prescriptions were graded on a scale from 1 to 8. One point was given for inclusion of each of the following: prescribing physician, patient name, drug name, dose, dosing methodology, quantity, refills, and accurate directions. Of all the prescriptions, 23% contained all aspects of a complete prescription. The most common reasons for point deductions were contradictory or unclear directions and allowing refills for oral chemotherapy which should not be refillable. Four percent of prescriptions had a documented pharmacist intervention. Conclusions: This study revealed areas for improvement in the prescribing process of oral chemotherapy. Targeting directions and refill fields within prescription templates will improve compliance with ASCO and ONS standards. This can be accomplished by implementing customized oral chemotherapy prescription templates within treatment plans in the electronic medical record system. Unlike chemotherapy administered in the clinic setting, oral chemotherapy prescriptions are not generally reviewed by oncology trained pharmacists. With the collaboration of medical and nursing staff, a new work flow was implemented which includes pharmacist review of electronic oral chemotherapy prescriptions.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2013 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

General Poster Session B: Practice of Quality and Health Reform

Track

Practice of Quality,Health Reform: Implications for Costs and Quality

Sub Track

Learning from Projects Done in a Health System

Citation

J Clin Oncol 31, 2013 (suppl 31; abstr 191)

Abstract #

191

Poster Bd #

C15

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

First Author: Marina D. Kaymakcalan

Abstract

2023 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Improving timely initiation of oral chemotherapy in an outpatient malignant hematology practice.

First Author: Brittany Mejaki

First Author: Luluh Bin Dayil

Abstract

2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Health-system specialty pharmacy impact on oral chemotherapy outcomes.

First Author: Tehsinabanu Sheikh