172 Background: UPMC CancerCenter (UPMC) has utilized clinical pathways for almost ten years in an effort to ensure standardization to the evidence based care for its patients. UPMC oncologists participate in the various pathways disease committees that develop and maintain the pathways content and utilize the pathways through a web-based portal in their daily decision making and documentation. The pathways cover not only treatment recommendations but also guidance for work up such as recurrence risk tools (OncoType Dx) for node negative, HER2 negative, ER positive breast cancer who are candidates for chemotherapy. For patients with a low recurrence risk score, the pathways recommends hormonal therapy only, saving the patient both toxicities and costs of chemotherapy where appropriate. Methods: UPMC analyzed its use of chemotherapy in patients with a recurrence risk score of less than 19 through a retrospective review of physician-input data in its Via Pathways Portal for the twelve months ended May 31, 2014. During this time period, the Via Pathways recommended the recurrence risk test for node negative, HER2 negative, ER positive patients. For patients with a low risk score (less than 19), the Via Pathways recommended hormonal therapy only. For those low risk score patients receiving chemotherapy, the physician would document that an Off Pathway decision was being made, indicate the reason for going Off Pathway, and document the actual therapy delivered. Results: For the twelve months ended May 31, 2014, UPMC physicians documented 288 decisions for patient presentation of node negative, HER2 negative, ER positive patients with a recurrence risk score of less than 19. Of these decisions, 99% (n=284) were On Pathway for hormonal therapy. Of the remaining 1%, three (3) were for accrual to a clinical trial and one (1) was Off Pathway for chemotherapy. Conclusions: Pathways are a tool for promoting adherence to evidence based care by oncologists through the use of a point of care decision support system. Pathways have the potential to reduce costs and toxicities of treatment through the evidence based guidance developed by the pathways disease committees and the adherence to such guidance by oncologists utilizing the pathways decision support tool.
“What is the actual goal of the pathway?”: examining emergency department physician and nurse perspectives on the implementation of a pediatric concussion pathway using the theoretical domains framework