Process for Developing National Structured Pathology Reports and Guidelines for Cancer

Program evaluation
16 Nov 2007
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The NSW Oncology Group has identified structured pathology reporting as a high priority for improving clinical decision support. Unlike the UK and USA, there is no national process for development and dissemination of structured (or synoptic) pathology reporting standards for cancer in Australia.

There is limited evidence or research to demonstrate that structured pathology reports are beneficial to clinical treatment, clinical decision making or reduced workload. However, clinicians agree that it is good practice to have guidelines, standard report formats and minimum data items. One Australian audit demonstrated that synoptic reports offer more clinical decision support information than narrative. A Consensus Statement was issued by the National Round Table on Structured Pathology Reporting for Cancer in June 2007 in Sydney.

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