Association of Community Cancer Centers Announces 2022 Innovator Award Winner, Ochsner Cancer Institute

Rockville, MD—The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) announced today that Ochsner Cancer Institute in New Orleans, La., is a recipient of a 2022 ACCC Innovator Award. The award recognizes Ochsner Cancer Institute’s Chemotherapy Care Companion program—a digital technology system that allows the cancer care team to remotely monitor patients who are on intravenous or oral anti-cancer treatment to manage any symptoms or adverse events between their medical appointments.

By using their smart device, patients complete a form on their online patient portal app to enroll in the program and are then provided free of charge an iHealth digital scale, blood pressure cuff, and ear thermometer. Twice daily, patients are required to report their weight, temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and any symptoms they may be experiencing and to complete a questionnaire.

Any abnormal vitals or questionnaire responses trigger a review by a hematology oncology advanced practice provider, and the Ochsner team intervenes as needed to provide patients high-quality cancer care support. With this technology, Ochsner Cancer Institute is keeping patients out of the emergency department or from being hospitalized and improving overall patient satisfaction. “I think this is a worthwhile program,” said Zoe Larned, MD, system chair of Hematology and Oncology at Ochsner Cancer Institute. “And the expectation among all cancer programs should be to provide this kind of remote monitoring for our patients.”

Larned will speak at the ACCC 39th National Oncology Conference about the successes and challenges she and her team experienced when developing and implementing Chemotherapy Care Companion, including the growth seen across the Ochsner Health system. Learn more about this program on the ACCCBuzz blog and CANCER BUZZ podcast, then register to attend the ACCC National Oncology Conference this October 12-14 in West Palm Beach, Fla.