Electronic Prompt System for NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines on Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract

Information technology is being widely used in the medical field, significantly improving the level and efficiency of clinical work. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is one of the most serious diseases that if left untreated, results in the death of a person, in particular older adults. However, the current progress in treatment is rapid, and the clinical treatment guidelines are constantly updated. In order to help physicians working with insufficient medical resources to quickly understand the latest treatment options, an electronic prompt program for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) AML guideline was created. In writing this program, we used Python and HTML, with replit and Visual Studio Code as a writing environment. The framework itself follows a simple logic flow which uses the user’s input of symptoms in order to recommend additional tests or treatments, sometimes prompting for more inputs to make additional recommendations. The clinical practice guideline was converted into approximately 100 defined modules, which are used to show patients’ potential treatment options and regiments in different situations. These modules are highly faithful to the content of the NCCN Guidelines. In a survey of doctors located in several rural areas of China trying out the program, the results show that more than 90% of the participating primary doctors believe that the program is helpful to rapidly understand the NCCN AML clinical guidelines. It is believed that translating the latest clinical practice guidelines into electric prompt programs that provide updated information to physicians based on individual patient conditions may help physicians working in areas with scarce medical resources quickly learn the latest clinical practice guidelines. Such electronic prompt programs can also be embedded in electronic medical records and clinical decision support systems to facilitate doctors to make appropriate diagnosis and treatment.