Review on Radiation Therapy Information Systems

Clinical and pre-clinical radiotherapy data represent one of the most valuable assets for radiation therapy and oncology institutions. The present study aimed to review various clinical information systems used in the field of radiotherapy and the critical success factors influencing the system implementation.

This review study was completed in 2022. In this study, papers related to clinical information systems in the field of oncology were retrieved by using keywords. The databases and the search engine were Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, Ovid, Medline, and Google Scholar and the time frame was between 2010 and 2022. Initially, a total of 427 papers were retrieved, and finally, 18 related papers were selected.

The main clinical information systems used in radiotherapy included developing a patient’s electronic chart checks (two studies), establishing a web-based Integrated Radiation Oncology Information Platform, implementing a web-based Electronic Data Capture system, developing a data archiving system, developing a prototype software for the anonymization of radiation therapy treatment plans, creating a national radiation oncology registry, identifying deficiencies in treatment plans and radiotherapy simulation, creating a web-based radiotherapy system and other related studies (nine studies).

The use of clinical information systems in the field of radiotherapy is inevitable, mainly due to the wide range of benefits that these systems have. However, to implement these systems successfully, proper choice of technology, user training, application of standards, use of big data, periodic evaluations, as well as workflow identification are required for effective use of these systems.