Information Systems at Each Site

Each prostate cancer SPORE site has a unique combination of existing information systems and interactions between these systems. Figure 2 provides a framework for categorizing the various systems operating at each site to help explore strengths, duplications, and major areas that need special attention to prepare for implementation of the IPBS and the NBN pilot. As shown in Figure 2, most prostate cancer SPORE sites have both research and clinical database modules. In addition, protocol tracking modules aid in the management and coordination of patients participating in clinical trials or other protocols. The upper half of the diagram illustrates the major database modules used to collect and store patient information and biospecimens for both research and clinical purposes. The lower half of the diagram illustrates typical types of database modules used for the analysis and reporting of results.

Figure 2 . Site-Specific Module Relationships

Figure 2 . Site-Specific Module Relationships

Critical Systems/Components

A handful of information system modules, or components, appear to be critical for the NBN pilot but are underdeveloped at this time. These modules deserve special mention because most institutions are wrestling to improve the design, implementation, and integration of these modules or systems.

Specimen Tracking

Specimen tracking systems tend to be the least developed, least integrated systems at many sites. Most sites have more than one specimen tracking system; some are at the institution level and others developed within individual laboratories using desktop database management systems such as Access or FileMaker Pro. Some of the best developed systems at Prostate SPOREs may not completely fulfill specimen tracking needs because a variety of other systems abound. There is no clear winner, or “killer app,” for biospecimen tracking. A task force and funds should be dedicated to this module, probably involving inventory management systems developers from industry and close cooperation with the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) Tissue Bank and Pathology Tools Workspace (TBPTW). Probably the best specimen tracking systems are from companies that rely on them for their core business. As they are developed by the TBPTW, it is hoped that the caBIG caTissue and caTissue Lite applications will become the standard for specimen tracking systems. In the meantime, the NBN pilot should probably include a sub-task force to analyze and reconcile the various specimen tracking systems at the 11 sites, especially in terms of standardizing and documenting specimen tracking data elements (database fields) and vocabularies (drop-down lists, field contents).