Integrated Decision Support for Cancer Screening

Applied Decision Science, LLC proposes an internet-based application that retrieves key data from multiple locations including the primary care electronic health record, the pathology lab, and the gastroenterology clinic, and integrates the information into a simple, clear visualization. The resulting application will support primary care providers in tracking and managing their patient's colorectal cancer screening (CRC). CRC is a leading cause of mortality due to cancer, in spite of the availability of effective screening techniques that can lead to early treatment and prevention. The specifics aims of this Phase II research are to 1) refine the design, 2) build a beta version from the Phase I prototype, 3) evaluate the beta version, and 4) commercialize. Software development will follow a decision-centered design approach, with iterative design based on user feedback. Cognitive Task Analysis methods will be used to assess content validity and explore potential extension of the application. Studies to assess usability, usefulness, and learnability will also be conducted. The Phase II effort will result in a beta version that has been evaluated and refined, and is ready for commercialization. The proposed tool will fulfill a public health need in a manner consistent with current trends in health information technology