Community Memorial Contracts with Oncology OnTrack to Support its Navigation Program

VENTURA, Calif. - Sept. 17, 2013 - PRLog -- The Cancer Program at Community Memorial Hospital has implemented Oncology OnTrack to support its nurse navigation program and enhance efficiency while providing compassionate, high-quality patient care. The Cancer Program serves patients at all stages of cancer care, from prevention to recovery.

Cancer Program Manager Kathleen Horton, RTT, CTR, and patient navigators Helen Gunderson, RN, and Jody Giacopuzzi, LCSW, worked closely with Priority Consult to identify ways in which Oncology OnTrack could help them maximize services to patients while eliminating inefficiencies that can occur in cancer programs with high numbers of patients in varying stages of treatment and recovery. Oncology OnTrack will enable the hospital to strengthen its nurse navigation services, to follow patients more closely, and to reduce obstacles to care that many oncology patients face.

Community Memorial Hospital, a 242-bed nonprofit facility that is part of the Community Memorial Health System, created its Cancer Program in 2006. In 2008 the program received a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Cancer as well as the commission’s Outstanding Cancer Program Achievement Award for new programs.

The Cancer Program is overseen by a committee of physicians and departmental representatives involved in cancer care. Quality care is promoted by weekly multidisciplinary cancer conferences, where patients’ treatment plans are reviewed and recommendations are made.

The Cancer Resource Center, which is part of the Cancer Program, is located in the Coastal Communities Cancer Center. The Cancer Resource Center fulfills a dual role by offering a variety of services for individuals faced with a diagnosis of cancer while providing programs for family members, friends and the community at large. Services include individual assistance and care, educational materials and programs, wellness programs, numerous support groups, a hat and wig bank, and nutrition consults and classes. All services are offered free to cancer patients and their families in a comfortable, non-hospital setting.

Priority Consult, LLC, provides technologically advanced workflow solutions for the care of spine and oncology patients. The results of these programs are improved patient care by streamlining processes, expedited communications between clinicians and patients, and standardized collection of clinical data. Priority Consult Spine is utilized by 40 spine centers and 43 cancer centers employ Oncology OnTrack.