The Promise of Pragmatic Innovation in Community Oncology

Abstract DNA technology. Science medical concept. Futuristic background: © kras99 - stock.adobe.com

Think about the last time you shopped on Amazon and how easy it was to find, select, and purchase everything you were looking for (and likely more!) in just a few clicks. Now think about a starkly different scenario of patients filling out paper forms—often multiple times—throughout their healthcare journey. The key element in the retail example woefully absent from the healthcare examples is, of course, technology.

During my 20 years as both a physician leader and administrative executive of a large community oncology practice, I have long been excited about how technology can move community oncology forward, but not in the way you might think. We regularly hear about new technology promising to advance diagnostics, speed new drug development or help reduce adverse effects in the future—and I’m excited for what those innovations will bring. However, when it comes to technology and community oncology, I am most passionate about leveraging my voice as a clinician and administrator to advocate for solving today’s problems with today’s technology.

The Art of the Simple

I am most energized about small, simple technology interventions that put the patient at the center and ultimately improve that day-to-day experience for patients, care partners, and staff.

While next-generation technology shows great promise several years from now, there is technology available today that can move the needle on patient care. Such practical applications include partnerships with rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft to help overcome patient transportation barriers and improve access. Other pragmatic technology includes secure, HIPAA-compliant messaging platforms designed to monitor mental and behavioral health. Chatbots are another way to harness relatively simple, self-serve technology to answer simple patient questions and offer straightforward directions, freeing up staff for more pressing issues.

Generative AI is another area ripe with opportunity for practical applications, particularly easing administrative burden around clinical documentation and workflow. AI can also help create notes for patients that are easier to understand. While most medical notes are very complex, AI can create more patient-friendly versions of notes that meet patients where they are and with what they know about their condition today.

Improving Experiences One Minute at a Time

I once had a patient undergoing chemo-radiation treatment come into the office when she was not feeling well. While this patient had already completed standard paperwork in radiation oncology, our medical oncology system could not see or ingest that data. This required us to ask the patient at a very inopportune moment to recomplete the same paperwork she had already filled out for radiation oncology.

In today’s healthcare system where excessive documentation is a leading contributor to burnout, particularly in oncology, I am particularly excited about the promise of technology to save time and improve the healthcare experience for everyone involved. Think about how much easier things would have been and how much time could have been saved in the previous scenario if our practices implemented automation that enabled our systems to recognize and ingest data across platforms. Every minute we save for a patient creates more time they can spend out of the office and with their families, and every minute we can save for staff leads to increased efficiency, productivity, and an enhanced patient experience.

Taking a Crawl, Walk, Run Approach to Technology

Regardless of purpose or format, technology is critical for today’s community oncology practice. However, technology should not simply be implemented for technology’s sake—it must solve a business problem while aligning to workflow, budget, and privacy/security requirements.

In terms of workflow, when we think about our staff working every day with a laser focus on patient care, changes should only enhance the process. Adding technology should remove steps or blockers to care, not the other way around.

Cost must also be considered when implementing technology, and that does not always mean dollars and cents. While we must certainly consider the overall price tag of a potential solution, we must also consider any potential downstream impacts for patients as well as how implementation could impact staff productivity.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly in today’s world, we must consider privacy and security for any technology being considered. The recent Change Healthcare cyberattack serves as a cautionary tale for everyone on the dangers and consequences of social engineering and malware.

When it comes to technology and community oncology, it is great to have an eye on technology that will advance the field tomorrow. For now, however, I am keeping my line of sight on pragmatic innovations we can implement today that put patients at the center, save valuable time and improve experiences for all.

To hear more from Dr. Wu, listen to our latest episode of Targeted Talks HERE.

Dr. Wu is an accomplished hematologist oncologist and healthcare executive passionate about leveraging technology to transform the patient experience and enhance overall healthcare delivery. As chief medical officer, pharmaceutical & specialty solutions at Cardinal Health, Dr. Wu leads a team focused on supporting and empowering community oncology practices to maintain their independence while providing high-quality, patient-centered care.