Preparing Systemic Treatment Providers for Emergencies

Hospitals, including those with systemic treatment and other cancer programs, can experience information technology system downtimes due to emergencies and during these, cancer programs must continue caring for patients and providing systemic treatment. This form of cancer treatment uses drugs that circulate through the body to cure or slow down cancers. It is commonly given in standardized multi-drug treatment regimens and is essential for patients to receive specific doses without interruptions to maintain the best possible results.

To ensure patients receiving systemic treatment continue to receive the level of care they need during an emergency, teams may need to significantly alter processes related to patient care, referrals, staffing, communication, patient prioritization and ethical decision-making. While information technology downtime policies and procedures often guide actions at the hospital level, there is a need for specific guidance tailored to the specialized context of systemic treatment.

Ensuring Continuity of Care During Information Technology Downtimes

To address these challenges, we conducted a targeted literature search and subsequently convened a multidisciplinary working group to identify recommendations, principles and best practices for emergency preparedness at systemic treatment facilities. The working group included:

• systemic treatment clinicians (medical oncologists, nurses, pharmacists)
• administrators
• information technology professionals
• patient and family advisors

The resulting guidance document outlines key considerations for systemic treatment clinicians and administrators to prepare for and respond to future emergency scenarios at their centres. It includes information covering the different phases of an emergency (preparation, response and recovery) and a broad range of activities involved in providing high-quality systemic treatment. This guidance will:

• help systemic treatment facilities increase their readiness for potential IT downtimes
• improve their resiliency in such events
• help ensure patients continue to receive the treatment they require during an emergency

For detailed guidance, download the Systemic Treatment Emergency Preparedness Guidance Document.