Reshaping cancer learning through the use of health information technology

In this paper I describe Kaiser Permanente's experience with health information technology (IT) in cancer care. Health IT holds the potential to accelerate learning in cancer care by comprehensively capturing rich patient data and supporting optimally standardized care. Rapid learning in cancer depends on simultaneously working toward universal technical and data standards and taking intermittent steps to reconcile variations in legacy systems through data-mapping and information-sharing initiatives.