Time difference in retrieving clinical information in Patient-overview Prostate Cancer compared to electronic health records

Abstract

Background

Patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa) typically undergo numerous lines of treatment leading to large amounts of information in Electronic Health Records (EHRs). The Patient-overview Prostate Cancer (PPC) presents clinical information in a graphical overview. The aim of this study was to measure time spent on retrieving clinical information in PPC compared to EHRs, to assess if retrieved data was correct and to explore usability of PPC.

Material and methods

Oncologists, urologists and nurses in three hospitals in Sweden were timed when filling out questionnaires about patients using PPC and two different EHRs; Melior and COSMIC. Time and number of errors were analysed using linear mixed models (LMMs). Usability of PPC was measured with the System Usability Scale.

Results

The LMM showed a significantly shorter time to retrieve information in PPC compared to EHRs. The estimated time to complete one questionnaire was 8 minutes (95% CI = 6–10, p < 0.001) in PPC compared to 25 minutes in Melior and 21 minutes in COSMIC. Compared to PPC, the estimated time difference was 17 minutes longer in Melior (95% CI = 14–20, p < 0.001) and 13 minutes longer in COSMIC (95% CI = 10–17, p < 0.001). The LMM showed significantly fewer errors in PPC compared to Melior. No significant difference in the number of errors was found between PPC and COSMIC. The usability of PPC was rated as excellent by oncologists, urologists and nurses.

Conclusion

A graphical overview of a patient’s medical history, as in PPC, gives health staff rapid access to relevant information with a high degree of usability.

Keywords:

• Patient overview
• electronic health record
• EHR
• prostate cancer
• metastatic
• castration resistant
• decision support
• graphic visualization
• usability

Acknowledgements

This study was made possible by the participation of health staff at Växjö Hospital, St. Göran Hospital and Sahlgrenska University Hospital. We thank Olga Zajc-Hansson, Therese Hallberg, Joakim Örtengren and Christofer Lagerros. We thank the PPC working group: Nina Hageman, Maria Nyberg, Anna Cedvall Gustavsson, Erik Andersson, Hans Joelsson, Magnus Törnblom, Marie Hjälm-Eriksson, Pär Stattin and Ingela Franck Lissbrant. We also thank the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden (NPCR) steering group: Pär Stattin (chair), Ingela Franck Lissbrant (deputy chair), Johan Styrke, Camilla Thellenberg Karlsson, Lennart Åström, Eva Johansson, Stefan Carlsson, Marie Hjälm-Eriksson, Magnus Törnblom, Olof Akre, David Robinson, Mats Andén, Ola Bratt, Johan Stranne, Jonas Hugosson, Maria Nyberg, Per Fransson, Fredrik Sandin, Karin Hellström, Hans Joelsson and Gert Malmberg.

Disclosure statement

Charlotte Alverbratt, Hanna Vikman, Marie Hjälm Eriksson, Pär Stattin, Ingela Franck Lissbrant: none declared.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by funding from ProLiv Väst. The development of PPC was funded by the Prostate Cancer Patient Federation, The Federation of Regional Cancer Centers, Swelife and Sjöbergsstiftelsen.