Purpose: Remote symptom monitoring (RSM) using electronic patient-reported outcomes leverages digital technologies to gather real-time information on patient experiences for symptom management. This study reports a formative evaluation of technology-related barriers encountered by patients participating in RSM and implementation strategies used to address those barriers in real-world, large-scale RSM implementations.
Methods: Purposive sampling was conducted to recruit patients diagnosed with cancer and participating in RSM at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute for semi-structured interviews.
Introduction: Patient navigation is recommended by accrediting bodies such as the Commission on Cancer and is a key element in payment reform demonstration projects, due to the established benefits in reducing barriers to healthcare, improving care coordination and reducing healthcare utilisation. However, oncology practices are often resource constrained and lack the capacity to extend navigation services at the desired intensity for their patient population. The American Cancer Society (ACS) developed the ACS Community Access to Resources, Education, and Support (CARES) programme to expand navigation capacity through the training of students from local universities as volunteers to serve as non-clinical navigators to support cancer patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Remote symptom monitoring (RSM) using electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROS) connects patients and health care teams between appointments. Patient-perceived benefits and drawbacks of RSM are well-known, but health care team members' perceptions are less clear.
Methods: Health care team members from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of South Alabama Health Mitchell Cancer Institute participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore their experiences and perspectives on RSM benefits and limitations.
Introduction: Remote symptom monitoring (RSM) allows patients to electronically self-report symptoms to their healthcare team for individual management. Clinical trials have demonstrated overarching benefits; however, little is known regarding patient-perceived benefits and limitations of RSM programs used during patient care.
Methods: This prospective qualitative study from December 2021 to May 2023 included patients with cancer participating in standard-of-care RSM at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in Birmingham, AL, and the Univeristy of South Alabama (USA) Health Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI) in Mobile, AL.
Purpose: Remote symptom monitoring (RSM) using electronic patient-reported outcomes enables patients with cancer to communicate symptoms between in-person visits. A better understanding of key RSM implementation outcomes is crucial to optimize efficiency and guide implementation efforts. This analysis evaluated the association between the severity of patient-reported symptom alerts and time to response by the health care team.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Despite evidence of clinical benefits, widespread implementation of remote symptom monitoring has been limited. We describe a process of adapting a remote symptom monitoring intervention developed in a research setting to a real-world clinical setting at two cancer centers.
Methods: This formative evaluation assessed core components and adaptations to improve acceptability and fit of remote symptom monitoring using Stirman's Framework for Modifications and Adaptations.
Background: Symptoms in patients with advanced cancer are often inadequately captured during encounters with the healthcare team. Emerging evidence demonstrates that weekly electronic home-based patient-reported symptom monitoring with automated alerts to clinicians reduces healthcare utilization, improves health-related quality of life, and lengthens survival. However, oncology practices have lagged in adopting remote symptom monitoring into routine practice, where specific patient populations may have unique barriers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJCO Oncol Pract
May 2022
Purpose: Novel value-based payment approaches provide an opportunity to deploy and sustain health care delivery interventions, such as treatment planning documentation. However, limited data are available on implementation costs.
Methods: We described key factors affecting the cost of implementing care improvements under value-based payments, using treatment planning and Medicare's Oncology Care Model as examples.