Clinician nudge at suspected ovarian cancer diagnosis improves oncology referral rate

“We want to make sure that ovarian cancer is diagnosed as soon as possible, so that women have the best chance at successful treatment and longer survival,” said Anna Jo Smith, MD, MPH, assistant professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. “Timely referral to gynecologic oncology for suspected ovarian cancer is associated with increased rates of evidence-based care and improved survival.”

Smith and colleagues conducted a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of a clinician nudge at the time of suspected ovarian cancer diagnosis, and whether the nudges improved referral to gynecologic oncology.

The researchers sent 20 clinician nudges for referrals. Of those, 15 patients (75%) were referred — surpassing the 55% historical baseline referral rate. Notably, six of the 20 clinicians who received a nudge stated that it “changed their decision-making” and that they would not have made a referral to gynecologic oncology without it, according to the researchers. Compared with a historical baseline of 20 days, the nudge reduced the mean time from abnormal imaging to referral to 10 days.