Implementing pregnancy screening prior to chemotherapy: A quality improvement initiative.

Authors

null

Brittany Kayla Rogers

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Brittany Kayla Rogers , Andrew Kolarich , Merry Jennifer Markham

Organizations

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Research Funding

Other

Background: ASCO’s QOPI sets standards for excellence in oncologic care. One standard is screening appropriate female patients for pregnancy prior to chemotherapy. No guidelines exist regarding screening protocols or timing. Prior data collection at our institution from 2012-2014 revealed that 35% of women of childbearing potential were screened prior to chemo, with medical oncology performing only 7% of screening. Less than half (48%) of those tests were ordered within 14 days prior to treatment start. Methods: A quality improvement (QI) intervention was implemented at UF Health outpatient infusion center on 8/15/16 based on the above data. A checkbox was added to the pre-chemo checklist used by infusion nurses. For eligible patients (women ages 18-55 without prior tubal ligation or hysterectomy), a point of care pregnancy test, included in standing orders, was recommended. We reviewed data for women who received outpatient chemo during 9/16-11/16 to determine rates of pregnancy screening (PS) after intervention. Results: 49 women, ages 18-55, of childbearing potential were identified and presented for 174 chemo cycles from 9/1/16 to 11/30/16. Of these, 15 (30.6%) received PS before chemo. Fifty pregnancy tests were ordered during this period; all were negative. Of the 50 tests, 42 (84%) were ordered by medical oncology, 3 (6%) by a surgical oncology, 3 (6%) by radiation oncology, and 1 (2%) by emergency medicine. Of the PS tests ordered by medical oncology, 64.2% were within 14 days of chemotherapy. Conclusions: In three months of QI intervention, PS prior to chemo increased from 7% to 30.6%. Screening was 13% in women older than 45, but higher in women age 25-34 (60%) and 35-44 (67%). Although the screening rate improved, it remains below our goal of 80%. Possible explanations for low rates are inclusion of postmenopausal women and those older than 50. Excluding these patients could reduce screening burden while identifying appropriate patients.

Pregnancy tests by age range.

Age RangePre-Intervention
Post-Intervention
Total PatientsNumber of Pregnancy
Tests
Percent TestedTotal PatientsNumber of Pregnancy
Tests
Percent Tested
18-2415853%00- - - - -
25-34392256%5360%
35-44683146%12867%
45-551754224%32413%

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

2017 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Publication Only: Health Services Research, Clinical Informatics, and Quality of Care

Track

Quality Care/Health Services Research

Sub Track

Safety and Quality of Care

Citation

J Clin Oncol 35, 2017 (suppl; abstr e18274)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2017.35.15_suppl.e18274

Abstract #

e18274

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

Abstract

2023 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Standardization of pregnancy screening prior to chemotherapy: A quality improvement project.

First Author: Nirja Shah

Abstract

2019 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Improving pregnancy screening prior to chemo: An institutional approach.

First Author: Brittany Kayla Rogers

First Author: Luluh Bin Dayil