News
US oncology group aims to revolutionise cancer care with free online
service
30 January 2008
A new website set up by Georgia Cancer Specialists (GCS) in the US
aims to change the way oncology professionals prescribe chemotherapy to
cancer patients.
The website, ChemoOrders.com, helps doctors and nurses administer
current chemotherapy protocols in a more accurate and efficient manner.
The web site is available for free to medical professionals and the
public.
The site creates patient-specific chemotherapy orders and supporting
documents based on physician or nurse-entered vital signs and disease
parameters. An average order takes about one minute to enter and print.
The site is modeled after a disease management system GCS developed
and has used in patient care for several years.
GCS president and CEO Dr Bruce Feinberg said the website addresses the
complexity that is inherent in treating cancer. "Cancer is actually 200
diseases that behave differently and require individualized protocols,"
he said, "and those protocols can vary greatly among two patients with
the same type of cancer."
Traditionally, doctors have developed treatment regimens on a
case-by-case basis, and without access to a current and comprehensive
treatment guide.
"Most oncologists practice the same way they have for 20 years,
trusting their memories and nurses' support to prescribe and manage
treatment," Dr Feinberg said. "The ever-growing complexity of cancer
management makes this approach increasingly risky for both patient and
provider. We think it's time to improve the system."
Dr Feinberg believes ChemoOrders.com enhances patient care in three
measurable ways:
- By providing oncology professionals the latest treatment
protocols,
with strict adherence to the published dose, schedule, and
administration guidelines.
- By dramatically increasing the efficiency with which
chemotherapy
orders and related documents are generated.
- By significantly reducing prescribing mistakes, administration
errors,
patient risk, and physician liability.
In addition to chemotherapy order forms, the site also produces
print- ready chemotherapy flow sheets, informed consents, and patient
education materials.
"We want to provide touch-of-a-button access to everything patients
and doctors need for a successful treatment experience," Dr. Feinberg
said.
ChemoOrders.com uses established peer-reviewed clinical guidelines to
ensure that the most current disease protocols are outlined. Protocol
selection and scientific content oversight are performed by a group of
physicians, ONS-certified nurses and nurse practitioners, and
pharmacists. All listed protocols are approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration, compendia listed, or both.
The site is at
www.chemoorders.com and has a movie in Flash format demonstrating
the system
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