PROCHE: efficient delivery of chemotherapy through better use of patient data

Challenge

Patients undergoing chemotherapy are typically only asked about the treatment side effects they have experienced when they arrive at the hospital for their next appointment. Considerable time is then spent gathering information about any adverse events that may have occurred. Often, treatment then needs to be modified, postponed or cancelled based on this information – resulting in lost time for patients, their carers and hospital staff, as well as drug wastage and potentially lower treatment benefits.¹

Solution

The Georges-Pompidou European Hospital in Paris created the Programme d’Optimisation du Circuit des Chimiothérapies (PROCHE) to improve the chemotherapy process for patients by assessing their suitability for chemotherapy before their scheduled appointments.

A hospital nurse called patients two days ahead of their scheduled chemotherapy appointment to ask about any previous adverse events. This information, along with the patient’s laboratory results, was then forwarded to the patient’s oncologist, nurse and pharmacist.

Oncologists reviewed the patient information, and pharmacists only began preparing the chemotherapy following approval from the oncologist. This process allowed oncologists to adjust treatment plans – e.g. delay sessions, organise supportive care or adapt chemotherapy protocols – before patients arrived for their appointments.¹