Effect of better communication on patient care.

216 Background: Considerable medical research done in the last decade, have brought new diagnostic and therapeutic options to the medical oncology field. This has, fortunately, greatly improved treatment options and outcomes of our cancer patients. Newer therapies such as immunotherapies have changed the toxicity profile of our interventions. In addition to “classic chemotherapy toxicity” these therapies can induce autoimmune phenomena including pneumonitis, colitis, etc. that may not initially be considered in patients’ differential diagnosis. We have noted that, we are frequently not being notified of our patients’ hospital admission. This creates an environment in which we can’t contribute to the patients care while they are in the hospital, and makes it difficult to gauge the degree of toxicity our therapies may be causing. Direct communication with the admitting services, asking them to consult us upon patients’ hospitalization would improve rate of consultation. This, we believe, will translate into...