Researchers: Orit Cohen Castel¹

Background: Health information technology (HIT) has the potential to improve continuity of care (COC) between healthcare providers (HCPs) involved in oral anticancer treatment (OACT), and contribute to patients' adherence.

Objectives: To explore the association between oncology HCPs usage of HIT for the coordination of oral anti-cancer treatment, and patients’ perceived COC and adherence.

Method: A cross-sectional study in five oncology centers. The Providers' HIT Utilization (PHIT-U) questionnaire was developed for this study. Adult cancer patients receiving OACT (targeted, hormonal, or chemotherapy) were surveyed on their perceived COC, adherence related beliefs, and self-reported adherence. Data on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected from medical records.

Findings: The study included 47 HCPs and 135 cancer patients. In oncology centers with high levels of oncology specialits' HIT usage, patients' perceived COC was lower compared to centers with low levels of HIT usage (p=0.007). Better COC within the oncology team, and between the oncology specialist and the primary care physicians were associated with beliefs about OACT necessity (β=0.28, p=0.003; β=0.19, p=0.041, respectively). The gap between patients' beliefs about OACT necessity and their OACT-related concerns was associated with better COC within the oncology team (β=0.28, p=0.006). Self-reported adherence was associated with patients' age and self-efficacy (r=0.188, p=0.029; r=-0.25, p=0.006, respectively), but not with perceived COC or HIT usage.

Conclusions: Oncology teams differ in HCPs' HIT usage for OACT coordination, and according to the perceptions of patients receiving OACT, in the practice of COC between HCPs, which may affect patient's adherence beliefs.

Recommendations: Alongside the implementation of HIT in oncology centers, programs should be developed for training HCPs regarding its usage to improve COC between providers.

Research end date: 11/2018