ONC pilot harnesses HIT to improve cancer treatment
MyJourney Compass, an Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) pilot project launched on Aug. 12, is aiming to help patients navigate the cancer treatment process and become more engaged in their healthcare decisions.
The $1.7 million project—managed by health IT specialists at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)—culminated from a partnership between two hospitals, a doctor’s group and cancer support organizations in Rome, Ga.
In the pilot, patients receive a Nexus 7 tablet that provides medical information, access to health information records and a symptom tracker for regular communication with physicians.
Developed by Georgia Tech, the symptom tracker allows patients to provide frequent feedback to providers when necessary. For instance, for a patient prescribed a new pain medication, the app would request updates several times a day to help the doctor determine its efficacy, according to a description of the program.
Georgia Tech anticipates as many as 100 breast cancer patients will participate once the program is in full operation.
“This really has the potential for making people’s lives better through education and knowledge, which empowers people,” said Phil Lamson, a health care consultant with Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, said in an announcement. “Using MyJourney Compass, patients can have more direct communication with their providers on the common symptoms that often accompany this disease.”
Collaborators include Floyd Medical Center, the Redmond Regional Medical Center, the Harbin Clinic, Cancer Navigators and the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition—as well as the Georgia Department of Community Health and Georgia Tech.
The pilot is one of 10 challenge grants awarded by ONC.