UT Southwestern Prostate Cancer Genomic Testing Case Study

This case study outlines the efforts of the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to enhance genomic testing for metastatic prostate cancer patients. The organization identified challenges in the existing workflow, including fragmented ordering processes and unstructured lab results, which hindered timely access to guideline-recommended germline and somatic testing. To address these issues, UT Southwestern integrated genomic results into their electronic health record (EHR) system, implemented real-time alerts for oncologists, and revitalized their molecular tumor board. These changes aimed to improve the identification of eligible patients for testing and expand access to targeted therapies and clinical trials. The case study details the systematic approach taken by UT Southwestern, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and the integration of clinical decision support tools. The results demonstrated improved patient outcomes through reduced time to testing and treatment, as well as enhanced clinical decision-making capabilities for oncologists.