Georgia Cancer Specialists (GCS) wants to change the way oncology professionals prescribe chemotherapy to cancer patients. Their new web site, 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.
ChemoOrders.com 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.
Dr. Bruce Feinberg—GCS president and CEO—said the web site 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:
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 FDA approved, compendia listed, or both.
ChemoOrders.com was previewed at the Oncology Nursing Society’s (ONS) Annual Congress in Las Vegas in late April, and launched publicly on May 8. Multiple rounds of updates and enhancements have been performed since that time.
The ONS web site, www.ons.org, includes a link to ChemoOrders.com on its Chemotherapy Clinical Resources page.
If interested in an online demonstration of ChemoOrders.com, go to www.chemoorders.com and click on “View Flash Demo.”
Lenz, Inc., based in Decatur, GA, designed ChemoOrders.com and is the company’s marketing/advertising agency.
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