EMR integrated platform improves data abstraction efficiency and speed for cancer patient records

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Frontiers in Medicine Published June 9, 2026 Medically reviewed June 9, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Note that EMR-integrated platforms can significantly reduce data abstraction time while improving reporting efficiency.

The researchers conducted an observational evaluation of the Onco-Insight platform to compare its performance against conventional manual abstraction methods for cancer patients at a tertiary care center. The study focused on measuring turnaround times and the completeness of sociodemographic, diagnostic, and treatment information within electronic medical records.

The results indicated that utilizing the integrated platform led to a notable reduction in mean abstraction time for specific components compared to traditional methods. While sociodemographic data showed high retrievability, the authors noted that diagnostic and treatment data completeness varied across the cohort. The system was found to improve overall efficiency by providing a unified entry point for multiple reporting requirements.

Several limitations were identified, including the fact that follow-up information after cancer therapy remained manual. Additionally, manual reviews were still required for patients treated at other institutions or when distinguishing initial therapies from later progressions. Clinicians should view these results as an indication of improved workflow efficiency in data collection rather than a complete replacement for manual oversight.

Study Details

Study typeSystematic review

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedJun 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

BackgroundTata Memorial Centre maintains one of the largest hospital-based cancer registries (HBCR) in India. The registry captures demographic, diagnostic, and treatment information from the electronic medical record (EMR), while Patterns of Cancer Care and Survival Studies (POCSS) collect additional clinical variables including comorbidity, life style, family history of cancer, histopathology, and detailed treatment and follow-up information. As these data are distributed across multiple EMR modules, abstraction is time-consuming. In 2021, the HBCR software was upgraded to the Onco-Insight platform with EMR integration to facilitate automated data retrieval. This study evaluated the platform for data completeness and abstraction turnaround time.MethodsAn observational evaluation using an intra-observer comparison design was conducted. Trained registry abstractors collected data using two approaches: conventional manual abstraction and the EMR-integrated Onco-Insight platform. The platform retrieves structured variables directly from the EMR while allowing manual entry for variables unavailable in structured format. Automated mapping from EMR modules to registry variables was implemented for sociodemographic, diagnostic, and treatment domains. Built-in validation rules, range checks, and mandatory field alerts were incorporated to enhance data quality. Data completeness was assessed for sociodemographic, diagnostic, and treatment variables and summarized as the proportion of cases with retrievable information. Data entry turnaround time was defined as the mean time required for abstraction and entry per case and assessed by cancer subsite for both HBCR and POCSS variables. Cases diagnosed and treated in 2021 were evaluated.ResultsOf 37,495 registrations in 2021, 32,359 were confirmed cancer cases. Sociodemographic variables were retrieved for all cases (97.59%). Diagnostic variables were retrieved for 13,987 cases (43.22%), and treatment variables for 16,835 cases (50%), followed by manual validation. Manual review was mainly required for patients treated outside the institution, referred between TMC centers, or to distinguish initial therapy from treatment for recurrence or progression. Follow-up information after completion of cancer-directed therapy remained fully manual. Mean abstraction time decreased substantially for HBCR from 27.17 ± 4.40 minutes to 15.07 ± 3.00 minutes.ConclusionThe EMR-integrated Onco-Insight platform reduced abstraction time and improved efficiency while enabling unified entry for HBCR and POCSS. Further EMR standardization, expanded integration, and AI-enabled data extraction could strengthen registry efficiency and cancer surveillance.