Operational Informatics in Cancer Centers: Emerging Trends to Support Cancer Care Delivery and Quality Improvement

Summary

Cancer centers evolved to meet the growing demands of cancer care, integrating various clinical services within multidisciplinary facilities. The structure of operations greatly influences their ability to address challenges and establish effective systems. This study reviews key informatics developments in health services research and quality improvement, demonstrating how digital health solutions have addressed operational issues in oncology.

The MEDLINE database and the ASCO Meeting Library were searched to identify peer-reviewed articles and conference abstracts published between 2022 and 2025 that reported outcomes of digital health or informatics interventions that supported oncology clinical services.

Key themes in cancer informatics were summarized. Many implementations focus on influencing oncologist behavior to standardize practices or reduce administrative burdens for resource allocation. Other tools utilize novel technologies for efficient care delivery or managing cancer data to drive clinical programs. Advancements in patient engagement are also evident, bridging the gap between patients and providers. Across all areas of opportunity, a growing body of work aims to incorporate AI tools to further enhance the effectiveness of care programs.

While informatics solutions can be integrated into various aspects of cancer care delivery, significant variability exists in evaluating these programs’ success through different process measures and clinical outcomes. Further efforts are needed to standardize the utility of these tools across disparate health systems.