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HEALTH • September 21, 2015 23 Oncology Patient Navigation at the Simonds-Sinon Regional Cancer Center The Oncology Patient Navigator provides the following: Oncology Patient Navigation is a patient-centric health care service delivery model. It refers to individualized assistance offered to patients, families and caregivers to help overcome health care system barriers and facilitate timely access to quality medical and psychological care. Oncology Patient Navigators Diane Barnaby, RN Head and Neck, GI Cancers (Colon, Rectal, Pancreases), GU (Bladder, Prostate) and GYN (Ovarian) Laura M. Herter, RN, BSN, OCN Breast, Multiple Myeloma and CLL, AML, CML Patti Mitko, RN, OCN Lung, Brain, Melanoma and Lymphoma • Coordination of care • Communication between providers • Patient advocacy • Emotional support • Resolves patient barriers to care • Facilitates access to care • Provides education • Clarifies areas of confusion • Provides early intervention at the time of suspicion of cancer • Assesses the variety of needs at the earliest point (insurance, transportation, community resources) Simonds-Sinon Regional Cancer Center 275 Nichols Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420 For more information, please call 978-343-5048 or visit www.healthalliance.com New virtual health care service I f you have ever suffered with con- junctivitis, you know the symp- toms are hard to miss. Itchy, red and crusty eyes are telltale symptoms of the common and infectious illness. While not an emergency, it is impor- tant to get treatment as soon as pos- sible, even when your doctor's office is closed, and even better, from the com- fort of your own home. At UMass Memorial Health Care, we are using technology to make the delivery of health care faster, safer, more accessi- ble and affordable. A groundbreaking online diagnosis and treatment service called eVisit will be introduced as a pilot program to connect a group of UMass Memorial patients with UMass Memorial clinicians for prompt, high- quality virtual care for common health concerns such as colds and flu, sinus infections, female bladder infec- tions and, yes, conjunctivitis. To use the tool all you will need is a Web- enabled device such as a computer, tablet or smart phone. If all goes well, we plan to offer the service more broadly in 2016. The eVisit service is part of UMass Memorial's longstanding commit- ment to improve patient care through innovative technology. In 2007, UMass Memorial Medical Center was the first hospital in the state to imple- ment a novel eICU system that aug- ments bedside care by remotely moni- toring critically ill patients. Today, our eICU program supports adult patients in 14 intensive care units at seven hospitals across the state. Using the latest in teleconferencing technology, our Telestroke Program enables Medical Center neurologists with stroke care expertise to remotely examine, diagnose and manage stroke patients at our affiliated community hospitals. We are also developing tele- medicine services in general neurolo- gy and gastroenterology. Now through a partnership with Minneapolis-based Zipnosis, UMass Memorial plans to offer the eVisit tool, giving users convenient online access to medical care in minutes. Users will start their virtual medical visit by signing into the secure eVisit website and completing an online interview. This process typically takes less than five minutes. The user's medical history and symptoms will be instantly sent to a UMass Memorial provider for review. During normal operating hours the user will be notified within an hour via text or email that the treatment plan is available for viewing in the online eVisit account. The eVisit will remain available in the user's secure account for future reference, and a visit summary will be generated for the UMass Memorial medical record. If the treatment plan includes a pre- scription, it can be sent electronically to the pharmacy of choice. If a condition is not suitable for virtual care, eVisit is designed to tri- age the user to the appropriate level of care, either by making an appoint- ment with the primary provider, or referring the user to a nearby urgent care center or emergency department. The eVisit service will be accessible 24 hours a day, with provider diagno- sis and treatment available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. After-hours requests will receive priority response the following morning. The basis of eVisits' success — and optimal patient care — is UMass Memorial's commitment to building an integrated health care delivery sys- tem that provides comprehensive, coordinated care across all medical settings. All eVisit records will become part of the UMass Memorial medical record, so everyone involved in a patient's care is on the same up-to- date page when it comes to a patient's health history. At the heart of UMass Memorial's development of the eVisit system is the concept of meeting people where they are — giving patients what they need, when they need it. Certain health concerns simply do not require the time and expense of an in-person hospital or doctor visit. For patients who are comfortable with the concept of virtual health care, eVisit promises to be just what the doctor ordered. William Corbett, MD is senior vice president, community practices, UMass Memorial Medical Group and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School. HEALTH CARE INNOVATION By William Corbett, MD

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