Making National Cancer Institute–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Knowledge Accessible to Community Oncologists via an Online Tumor Board: Longitudinal Observational Study

theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group

doi:10.2196/33859

Making National Cancer Institute–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Knowledge Accessible to Community Oncologists via an Online Tumor Board: Longitudinal Observational Study

theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group

Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Expert knowledge is often shared among multidisciplinary academic teams at tumor boards (TBs) across the country, but these conversations exist in silos and do not reach the wider oncology community. Objective: Using an oncologist-only question and answer (Q&A) website, we sought to document expert insights from TBs at National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (NCI-CCCs) to provide educational benefits to the oncology community. Methods: We designed a process with the NCI-CCCs to document and share discussions from the TBs focused on areas of practice variation on theMednet, an interactive Q&A website of over 13,000 US oncologists. The faculty translated the TB discussions into concise, non–case-based Q&As on theMednet. Answers were peer reviewed and disseminated in email newsletters to registered oncologists. Reach and engagement were measured. Following each Q&A, a survey question asked how the TB Q&As impacted the readers’ practice. Results: A total of 23 breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary programs from 16 NCI-CCC sites participated. Between December 2016 and July 2021, the faculty highlighted 368 questions from their TBs. Q&As were viewed 147,661 times by 7381 oncologists at 3515 institutions from all 50 states. A total of 277 (75%) Q&As were viewed every month. Of the 1063 responses to a survey question on how the Q&A affected clinicians’ practices, 646 (61%) reported that it confirmed their current practice, 163 (20%) indicated that a Q&A would change their future practice, and 214 (15%) reported learning something new. Conclusions: Through an online Q&A platform, academics at the NCI-CCCs share knowledge outside the walls of academia with oncologists across the United States. Access to up-to-date expert knowledge can reassure clinicians’ practices, significantly impact patient care in community practices, and be a source of new knowledge and education.

Original language	English
Article number	e33859
Journal	JMIR Cancer
Volume	8
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2196/33859
Publication status	Published - Apr 1 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
©Maitri Kalra, Elizabeth Henry, Kelly McCann, Meghan S Karuturi, Jean G Bustamante Alvarez, Amanda Parkes, Robert Wesolowski, Mei Wei, Sarah S Mougalian, Gregory Durm, Angel Qin, Caitlin Schonewolf, Meghna Trivedi, Avan J Armaghani, Frederick H Wilson, Wade T Iams, Anita A Turk, Praveen Vikas, Michael Cecchini, Sam Lubner, Priyadarshini Pathak, Kristen Spencer, Vadim S Koshkin, Matthew K Labriola, Catherine H Marshall, Katy E Beckermann, theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group, Marina N Sharifi, Anthony C Bejjani, Varsha Hotchandani, Samir Housri, Nadine Housri.

Funding

No funding was used for the design and implementation of the tumor board (TB) project at the National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (NCI-CCCs). TheMednet, Inc has received a combination of public and private funding from sources including the National Science Foundation, The Hope Foundation, Bonnie J Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, private investors, and industry partners.

Funders	Funder number
National Science Foundation
National Cancer Institute
Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation
Hope Foundation

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Oncology
Cancer Research

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.2196/33859

Cite this

@article{2bbd8eabdb204cd5ab1de74ac35d81c7,

title = "Making National Cancer Institute–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Knowledge Accessible to Community Oncologists via an Online Tumor Board: Longitudinal Observational Study",

abstract = "Background: Expert knowledge is often shared among multidisciplinary academic teams at tumor boards (TBs) across the country, but these conversations exist in silos and do not reach the wider oncology community. Objective: Using an oncologist-only question and answer (Q&A) website, we sought to document expert insights from TBs at National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (NCI-CCCs) to provide educational benefits to the oncology community. Methods: We designed a process with the NCI-CCCs to document and share discussions from the TBs focused on areas of practice variation on theMednet, an interactive Q&A website of over 13,000 US oncologists. The faculty translated the TB discussions into concise, non–case-based Q&As on theMednet. Answers were peer reviewed and disseminated in email newsletters to registered oncologists. Reach and engagement were measured. Following each Q&A, a survey question asked how the TB Q&As impacted the readers{\textquoteright} practice. Results: A total of 23 breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary programs from 16 NCI-CCC sites participated. Between December 2016 and July 2021, the faculty highlighted 368 questions from their TBs. Q&As were viewed 147,661 times by 7381 oncologists at 3515 institutions from all 50 states. A total of 277 (75%) Q&As were viewed every month. Of the 1063 responses to a survey question on how the Q&A affected clinicians{\textquoteright} practices, 646 (61%) reported that it confirmed their current practice, 163 (20%) indicated that a Q&A would change their future practice, and 214 (15%) reported learning something new. Conclusions: Through an online Q&A platform, academics at the NCI-CCCs share knowledge outside the walls of academia with oncologists across the United States. Access to up-to-date expert knowledge can reassure clinicians{\textquoteright} practices, significantly impact patient care in community practices, and be a source of new knowledge and education.",

author = "{theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group} and Maitri Kalra and Elizabeth Henry and Kelly McCann and Karuturi, {Meghan S.} and {Bustamante Alvarez}, {Jean G.} and Amanda Parkes and Robert Wesolowski and Mei Wei and Mougalian, {Sarah S.} and Gregory Durm and Angel Qin and Caitlin Schonewolf and Meghna Trivedi and Armaghani, {Avan J.} and Wilson, {Frederick H.} and Iams, {Wade T.} and Turk, {Anita A.} and Praveen Vikas and Michael Cecchini and Sam Lubner and Priyadarshini Pathak and Kristen Spencer and Koshkin, {Vadim S.} and Labriola, {Matthew K.} and Marshall, {Catherine H.} and Beckermann, {Katy E.} and Sharifi, {Marina N.} and Bejjani, {Anthony C.} and Varsha Hotchandani and Samir Housri and Nadine Housri and Hatem Soliman and Debasish Tripathy and Hershman, {Dawn L.} and Otterson, {Gregory A.} and Bhuvaneswari Ramaswamy and David Carbone and Shadia Jalal and Nasser Hanna and Kevin Kalinsky and Amye Tevaarwerk and Barcenas, {Carlos H.} and Kari Wisinski and Maryam Lustberg and Leora Horn and Crew, {Katherine D.} and Owen, {Dwight H.} and Bora Lim and Banu Arun and Parvin Peddi",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright}Maitri Kalra, Elizabeth Henry, Kelly McCann, Meghan S Karuturi, Jean G Bustamante Alvarez, Amanda Parkes, Robert Wesolowski, Mei Wei, Sarah S Mougalian, Gregory Durm, Angel Qin, Caitlin Schonewolf, Meghna Trivedi, Avan J Armaghani, Frederick H Wilson, Wade T Iams, Anita A Turk, Praveen Vikas, Michael Cecchini, Sam Lubner, Priyadarshini Pathak, Kristen Spencer, Vadim S Koshkin, Matthew K Labriola, Catherine H Marshall, Katy E Beckermann, theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group, Marina N Sharifi, Anthony C Bejjani, Varsha Hotchandani, Samir Housri, Nadine Housri.",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.2196/33859",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

journal = "JMIR Cancer",

issn = "2369-1999",

publisher = "JMIR Publications Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Making National Cancer Institute–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Knowledge Accessible to Community Oncologists via an Online Tumor Board

T2 - Longitudinal Observational Study

AU - theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group

AU - Kalra, Maitri

AU - Henry, Elizabeth

AU - McCann, Kelly

AU - Karuturi, Meghan S.

AU - Bustamante Alvarez, Jean G.

AU - Parkes, Amanda

AU - Wesolowski, Robert

AU - Wei, Mei

AU - Mougalian, Sarah S.

AU - Durm, Gregory

AU - Qin, Angel

AU - Schonewolf, Caitlin

AU - Trivedi, Meghna

AU - Armaghani, Avan J.

AU - Wilson, Frederick H.

AU - Iams, Wade T.

AU - Turk, Anita A.

AU - Vikas, Praveen

AU - Cecchini, Michael

AU - Lubner, Sam

AU - Pathak, Priyadarshini

AU - Spencer, Kristen

AU - Koshkin, Vadim S.

AU - Labriola, Matthew K.

AU - Marshall, Catherine H.

AU - Beckermann, Katy E.

AU - Sharifi, Marina N.

AU - Bejjani, Anthony C.

AU - Hotchandani, Varsha

AU - Housri, Samir

AU - Housri, Nadine

AU - Soliman, Hatem

AU - Tripathy, Debasish

AU - Hershman, Dawn L.

AU - Otterson, Gregory A.

AU - Ramaswamy, Bhuvaneswari

AU - Carbone, David

AU - Jalal, Shadia

AU - Hanna, Nasser

AU - Kalinsky, Kevin

AU - Tevaarwerk, Amye

AU - Barcenas, Carlos H.

AU - Wisinski, Kari

AU - Lustberg, Maryam

AU - Horn, Leora

AU - Crew, Katherine D.

AU - Owen, Dwight H.

AU - Lim, Bora

AU - Arun, Banu

AU - Peddi, Parvin

N1 - Publisher Copyright: ©Maitri Kalra, Elizabeth Henry, Kelly McCann, Meghan S Karuturi, Jean G Bustamante Alvarez, Amanda Parkes, Robert Wesolowski, Mei Wei, Sarah S Mougalian, Gregory Durm, Angel Qin, Caitlin Schonewolf, Meghna Trivedi, Avan J Armaghani, Frederick H Wilson, Wade T Iams, Anita A Turk, Praveen Vikas, Michael Cecchini, Sam Lubner, Priyadarshini Pathak, Kristen Spencer, Vadim S Koshkin, Matthew K Labriola, Catherine H Marshall, Katy E Beckermann, theMednet.org NCI-CCC Tumor Board Program Collaborative Group, Marina N Sharifi, Anthony C Bejjani, Varsha Hotchandani, Samir Housri, Nadine Housri.

PY - 2022/4/1

Y1 - 2022/4/1

N2 - Background: Expert knowledge is often shared among multidisciplinary academic teams at tumor boards (TBs) across the country, but these conversations exist in silos and do not reach the wider oncology community. Objective: Using an oncologist-only question and answer (Q&A) website, we sought to document expert insights from TBs at National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (NCI-CCCs) to provide educational benefits to the oncology community. Methods: We designed a process with the NCI-CCCs to document and share discussions from the TBs focused on areas of practice variation on theMednet, an interactive Q&A website of over 13,000 US oncologists. The faculty translated the TB discussions into concise, non–case-based Q&As on theMednet. Answers were peer reviewed and disseminated in email newsletters to registered oncologists. Reach and engagement were measured. Following each Q&A, a survey question asked how the TB Q&As impacted the readers’ practice. Results: A total of 23 breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary programs from 16 NCI-CCC sites participated. Between December 2016 and July 2021, the faculty highlighted 368 questions from their TBs. Q&As were viewed 147,661 times by 7381 oncologists at 3515 institutions from all 50 states. A total of 277 (75%) Q&As were viewed every month. Of the 1063 responses to a survey question on how the Q&A affected clinicians’ practices, 646 (61%) reported that it confirmed their current practice, 163 (20%) indicated that a Q&A would change their future practice, and 214 (15%) reported learning something new. Conclusions: Through an online Q&A platform, academics at the NCI-CCCs share knowledge outside the walls of academia with oncologists across the United States. Access to up-to-date expert knowledge can reassure clinicians’ practices, significantly impact patient care in community practices, and be a source of new knowledge and education.

AB - Background: Expert knowledge is often shared among multidisciplinary academic teams at tumor boards (TBs) across the country, but these conversations exist in silos and do not reach the wider oncology community. Objective: Using an oncologist-only question and answer (Q&A) website, we sought to document expert insights from TBs at National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (NCI-CCCs) to provide educational benefits to the oncology community. Methods: We designed a process with the NCI-CCCs to document and share discussions from the TBs focused on areas of practice variation on theMednet, an interactive Q&A website of over 13,000 US oncologists. The faculty translated the TB discussions into concise, non–case-based Q&As on theMednet. Answers were peer reviewed and disseminated in email newsletters to registered oncologists. Reach and engagement were measured. Following each Q&A, a survey question asked how the TB Q&As impacted the readers’ practice. Results: A total of 23 breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary programs from 16 NCI-CCC sites participated. Between December 2016 and July 2021, the faculty highlighted 368 questions from their TBs. Q&As were viewed 147,661 times by 7381 oncologists at 3515 institutions from all 50 states. A total of 277 (75%) Q&As were viewed every month. Of the 1063 responses to a survey question on how the Q&A affected clinicians’ practices, 646 (61%) reported that it confirmed their current practice, 163 (20%) indicated that a Q&A would change their future practice, and 214 (15%) reported learning something new. Conclusions: Through an online Q&A platform, academics at the NCI-CCCs share knowledge outside the walls of academia with oncologists across the United States. Access to up-to-date expert knowledge can reassure clinicians’ practices, significantly impact patient care in community practices, and be a source of new knowledge and education.

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Making National Cancer Institute–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Knowledge Accessible to Community Oncologists via an Online Tumor Board: Longitudinal Observational Study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Cite this