title: Performance of a Web-based Method for Generating Synoptic Reports.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires synoptic reporting of all tumor excisions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the performance of different methods of generating synoptic reports.
  
  
  METHODS
  Completeness, amendment rates, rate of timely ordering of ancillary studies (KRAS in T4/N1 colon carcinoma), and structured data file extraction were compared for four different synoptic report generating methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Use of the printed tumor protocols directly from the CAP website had the lowest completeness (84%) and highest amendment (1.8%) rates. Reformatting these protocols was associated with higher completeness (94%,P< 0.001) and reduced amendment (1%,P= 0.20) rates. Extraction into a structured data file was successful 93% of the time. Word-based macros improved completeness (98% vs. 94%,P< 0.001) but not amendment rates (1.5%). KRAS was ordered before sign out 89% of the time. In contrast, a web-based product with a reminder flag when items were missing, an embedded flag for data extraction, and a reminder to order KRAS when appropriate resulted in improved completeness (100%,P= 0.005), amendment rates (0.3%,P= 0.03), KRAS ordering before sign out (100%,P= 0.23), and structured data extraction (100%,P< 0.001) without reducing the speed (P= 0.34) or accuracy (P= 1.00) of data extraction by the reader.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Completeness, amendment rates, ancillary test ordering rates, and data extraction rates vary significantly with the method used to construct the synoptic report. A web-based method compares favorably with all other methods examined and does not reduce reader usability.
authors.affiliation: Google, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Renshaw
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Northwestern, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Renshaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Services, Baptist Hospital and Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Mercy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mena-Allauca
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Technology, Baptist Hospital and Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Carrion
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Technology, Baptist Hospital and Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Technology, Baptist Hospital and Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Arniris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narciandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baptist Hospital and Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Edwin W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baptist Hospital and Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Pathology, Baptist Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Renshaw
keywords: Accuracy; College of American Pathologists; anatomic pathology; cancer; computer; diagnosis; error; internet; quality assurance; surgical pathology; templates; web