DATA COLLECTION
Where To Get This Information?
Practicing veterinary oncologists have the crucial diagnosis and treatment records. As well as “follow-up” information.
Unlike human-patient oncologists, often there isn’t a numerical medical coding entry for this data. This is changing with offices converting to electronic records, as well as the availability of pet insurance.
Then there are patients which have been clinically diagnosed, for which no further action is taken. These patients need to be included as well.
Hurdles And Dreams
Some hurdles
- Contacting every veterinary oncologist, would be difficult. Obtaining as much data as possible would have to do right now.
- There are a large number of prior patients, as well as current patients that could be tracked.
- Veterinary office records sometimes keep health and financial records separately.
- Patient/owner privacy
- Gathering only partial information
Some answers and dreams
- The use of an accession number removes the patient/owner information from the database.
- More standardization of patient data with advent of pet insurance (ie: Trupanion)
- The increased use of electronic billing (ie: EzyVet)
- More electronic coding equates to easier data sharing
- There are existing standard billing codes, which will make uploading data easier. (VeNom, SNOMED CT, and even human CPT codes may be used.)
- There is an international group also looking into animal-related cancer surveillance
- A new coding system for animal-related cancer has been developed. (Vet-ICD-O-canine 1). And more are under development.
