HIMSS Session Not to Miss: Using FHIR to Fight Cancer

Hereditary cancer accounts for up to 10% of new cancer diagnoses. Although widespread adoption of affordable genetic testing is possible and highly valued, health systems struggle to identify candidates for genetic testing and manage those deemed to be high-risk.

Adventist Health, with more than 20 hospitals in four states, has overcome the challenges, thanks to innovative technology now integrated into its clinical workflows and electronic health records.

Here are three things Candace Westgate, DO, and Dana Zanone, MD, of Adventist Health will explain at HIMSS 2020 at 4pm on March 11th:

1. How far a population genetic screening program can reach.

About 10% of the population has a moderate or high risk of hereditary cancer, meaning such a program could positively impact their health and wellbeing. Across the nation, $1.5 billion is wasted in unnecessary, avoidable cancers that this type of program can help avoid.

2. How Adventist Health found success using HIT.

There are several places where patients at high risk for hereditary cancer can fall through the cracks, from the initial screening process to managing patients who are found to be high-risk.

Adventist Health found a HIT solution that enabled a digital screening process (instead of on paper); processed test orders and automatically generated documentation notes; and enabled following up with and managing patients who are at high risk of cancer. CancerIQ’s software closed existing gaps to allow Adventist Health to see each patient through to the conclusion of their journey.

3. How integrating the tool into the EHR extends impact.

Primary care physicians play an integral role in preempting and preventing hereditary cancers. To fully involve physicians throughout the system, Adventist Health integrated CancerIQ into its existing EHR. The FHIR app for primary care allows front-line physicians to identify, act and log results of CancerIQ basic assessments in the EHR. The FHIR app for specialists allows them to generate more in-depth analyses of patients’ test results and effectively manage patients.

Clinics participating in the hereditary cancer risk assessment program demonstrate dramatically higher rates of routine cancer screening for all their patients. How much higher? The latest data and figures will be announced live at the HIMSS meeting.

The session is titled “Identify, Manage Patients at Risk for Cancer Using Data.” It’s scheduled for Wednesday, March 11 from 4-5 p.m. in room W414A. Planning to attend? Let us know via the RSVP below. We also recommend forwarding this blog post and calendar hold to your IT colleagues so they have a chance to speak to a CancerIQ reference in person.