As much as we love to discuss the latest cancer research or technologies for the oncology space, we often forget to include the most important stakeholder in the equation: the patient.
At the MedCity CONVERGE conference in Philadelphia on July 11-12, a panel of experts will discuss how to make the care journey a bit more bearable for those living with cancer.
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“When it comes to treating cancer, you can’t treat every person exactly the same,” Dr. Amanda Woodworth, director of Drexel Medicine’s Breast Health and Wellness Center, said in a recent phone interview. She will also be moderating the panel at CONVERGE.
Hospitals can offer the best medicine, but unless they figure out what the patient’s needs are, they won’t truly be able to adequately treat them, Woodworth added.
Healthcare organizations should thus strive to learn about the patient’s concerns. In many cases, their main concern is not actually their cancer — it’s something else, Woodworth said. For example, underserved individuals are often worried about how their diagnosis will impact their ability to keep their job and pay their bills.
One panelist, Kezia Fitzgerald, is not only a cancer patient herself but also the co-founder and chief innovation officer of CareAline Products. The concept of the company came about when Fitzgerald’s infant daughter Saoirse was undergoing treatment for neuroblastoma.
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To prevent Saoirse from pulling out or chewing on her PICC lines, Fitzgerald made a little sleeve with a button and pocket to hold the lines in place. When Saoirse used it, she left the PICC lines alone. Fitzgerald and her husband were happy to have solved their problem. But soon, nurses and other patients’ parents began to ask about the sleeve and where it came from.
“We realized it was a bigger problem than just us,” Fitzgerald said in a phone interview. Thus, the CareAline Sleeves and Wraps were born.
Though Saoirse passed away in 2011, Fitzgerald and her husband have continued to bring the company’s products to patients who need them.
“Even though it was really difficult for us, we decided we didn’t want to leave everybody out to dry,” she said. “We want our products to be able to help people.”
When asked about how she could be better supported as a patient, Fitzgerald noted that the lack of interoperability between EHR systems can be problematic when she visits her provider. She also wants doctors and other clinicians to understand that even though she’s a patient, she’s also an individual with her own busy life.
“I don’t run my life around my cancer treatment. My cancer treatment has to fit into my life,” she said.
Woodworth also stressed the significance of communication and listening to patients.
“Including the patient in their treatment course is one of the most important things,” she said.
Photo: PeopleImages.com, Getty Images