Many cancer programs continue to face challenges in maintaining access to care given ongoing capacity and resource constraints. This issue will be exacerbated in the future, as projections indicate an additional 11 million patients will be seeking cancer services by 2040 due to the “Silver Tsunami.”
By focusing on core operational imperatives, cancer programs can deliver advanced care and expand access while maintaining a focus on the 病人的经验. As cancer programs look to the next decade, administrative and clinical leaders will need to implement novel approaches to increase patient access, 提高运营效率, 确保所有患者享有公平待遇.
在一系列的四篇博文中, we’re taking a deeper look into each of the pillars foundational to creating a differentiated 病人的经验, a core element of the cancer program of the future. 第二部分,你们可以找到 在这里, explored the importance of establishing a strong patient navigation program. 在第三部分, we highlight the various digital health tools organizations are incorporating to support the patient care journey.
问题
Patients’ expectations for seamless and timely access to care are driving providers to reevaluate their digital health capabilities to be as patient-centric as possible. 为了实现这一目标, organizations must thoughtfully evolve their use of digital healthcare tools while understanding that digital transformation is not about simply adopting the latest technology. Cancer programs must carefully consider how they can best utilize digital health solutions to drive improvements in patient access, 病人的经验, 护理协调, 程序分化.
解决方案
It is crucial to establish a foundation of digital health tools before venturing into more innovative technological capabilities. All cancer programs should have the following patient-centric elements in place today:
- Integrated Telehealth: Synchronous video visits integrated into the EHR
- Patient Portal 访问: Full patient access to the EHR (including upload and download capabilities)
- Patient Communication: Multiple access points (e.g., phone, patient portal) and personalized survivorship communication
- Triage bet8娱乐: On-demand digital nurse triage capabilities via multiple access points
有了这些功能, cancer programs can explore more pioneering digital health solutions aimed at enhancing the 病人的经验 and allowing providers and clinic staff to attend to a larger patient population more efficiently.
One crucial digital health application that drives improved 病人的经验s and reduces the need for unnecessary clinic visits is remote monitoring. These advanced digital tools enable the gathering and reporting of patient data (e.g., 重要器官, 症状) to the care team and facilitate better symptom management, 减轻旅行负担, 尽量减少急诊就诊, 提高癌症存活率.
Although implementing remote monitoring necessitates changes in staff skills, 系统, 和工作流, introducing this capability in the short term will help patients adapt to these tools and position cancer programs to transition to more advanced solutions (including AI-assisted products) as technologies evolve and gain industry approval.
- Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePROs): ePROs utilize tools such as smartphones and web-based platforms to collect patient-reported data on vital signs, 症状, 和生活质量. These tools have been shown to improve patient outcomes, 满意度, 对临床治疗的依从性.
- 远程监控: Remote monitoring involves the use of technology to track a patient’s health status through the real-time collection and transmission of data. This process facilitates more timely interventions, t在这里by lessening the need for frequent in-person visits and promoting better patient outcomes.
- 人工智能辅助epro和远程监控: 更远的未来, remote monitoring technologies will incorporate AI algorithms to assist providers in making timelier and more data-driven decisions. Examples of AI-assisted technologies already being tested include:
- CANKADO PRO-React: A patient-generated digital health documentation system that predicts impending adverse incidents and recommends how urgently patients should seek medical care
- BioIntelliSense: A rechargeable chest sensor that passively measures more than 20 vital signs and notifies the healthcare team when results fall outside personalized ranges
随着对高品质的需求, patient-centric cancer care continues to increase over the next decade, cancer programs must focus on strengthening the four pillars of a differentiated 病人的经验 to continue meeting the needs of their diverse communities, 保持竞争成功, 实现程序化的体量增长. 在最后一期中, we will unpack the reasons why organizations must focus on improving health equity to better serve their communities and drive growth to their cancer programs.
For more information, download our whitepaper, Pioneering a Cancer Program for the Future.
编辑: 艾米丽约翰逊
出版于2024年1月2日