One of the biggest impediments to effective treatment for cancer patients is the difficulty in adhering to regimens prescribed by physicians. This has become a growing challenge as chemotherapy administration has shifted from IV infusions at oncology centers to oral medications taken at home. It is estimated that more than one third of all oral chemotherapy patients are not complying with their treatment plans.
The problem is that oral chemotherapy physician-run oncology centers are challenged to monitor patients’ compliance between visits. Overwhelmed by changing schedules, side effects, getting medications delivered on time, along with insurance payment issues may delay a crucial start date or report problems too late.
On November 15, 2016, WorkUp http://workuphealth.com the first technology-based service platform lets oncology practices instantly offer patients an app. The app is able to securely connect the patient with practice staff to address side effects and other issues while providing customized medication calendar support for each patient’s unique cycle timeline.
The clinic-branded app is automatically given to patients for free as they leave the clinic and is accessible on whatever consumer platform the patient prefers. This can be on the web, flip phone, smartphone, or on a landline.
The system enables oncology practices to map out, track, time, and digitize every step of an individual’s treatment plan pulling from FDA-level product information and practice-level quality standards and protocols. Medication schedules, side effect monitoring guidelines, and dose adjustment algorithms are all automatically converted into patient-specific instructions and reminders.
Kenny Engels, Co-Founder and CEO of WorkUp said, “Providing the entire care team with a digitized, personalized roadmap is the critical piece in improving adherence. As a result, we believe the WorkUp platform can change the state-of-the-art for cancer care.”
Pharmaceutical manufacturers are gaining from the use of the platform and may be able to increase their oral chemotherapy revenues by 15 to 20 percent. This should occur since the pharmaceutical manufacturers will have better visibility and more current data concerning patient issues.