Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Continuation chemotherapy is a key component of the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. During this treatment phase, weekly dose adjustments are carried out based on current and historical full blood counts (FBCs). The dose decision pathway is complex and suboptimal therapy may result if information on FBC results is not readily available and/or the prescriber is inexperienced. A web-based decision-support system (Leukaemia Intervention Scheduling and Advice, 'LISA') was designed to facilitate access to FBC information across geographical locations and to assist with dosage adjustments. A balanced-block crossover analysis was performed to evaluate the system. Thirty-six clinicians with varying degrees of experience were each asked to decide on appropriate oral chemotherapy dosages for eight simulated cases: four using LISA and four without. LISA significantly reduced the number of erroneous prescriptions (zero of 144 with LISA vs. 54 of 144 without; P < 0.0001) without affecting the number of times subjects deliberately overrode the protocol (seven of 144 times using LISA and six of 144 without). Using LISA reduced the time taken by novices to reach a decision for each case but increased the time taken by experts. Thirty-five of 36 subjects said they would be likely to use the system if it were available. A system like LISA is likely to be acceptable to clinicians, and has the potential to increase protocol compliance and decrease prescribing errors while allowing clinicians to override the protocol in specific cases where sound reasons exist for doing so.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/j.1365-2141.2005.05541.x

Type

Journal article

Journal

Br J Haematol

Publication Date

06/2005

Volume

129

Pages

746 - 754

Keywords

Antineoplastic Agents, Child, Clinical Protocols, Clinical Trials as Topic, Cross-Over Studies, Decision Support Systems, Clinical, Drug Administration Schedule, Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Guideline Adherence, Humans, Internet, Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma