IMPROVING THE CARE EXPERIENCE FOR OVARIAN CANCER PATIENTS
Description
With more than 21,500 new cases diagnosed each year, ovarian cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in women. And with 14,600 deaths annually, ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cause of cancer deaths among women.
The increase of ovarian cancer was causing alarm in a major mid-western medical school and provider groups. Several providers decided to jointly explore new care treatment models and improve the patient experience.
Methodology
The purpose of the project Melody design was to improve quality of life, life expectancy, and reduce total cost of care for ovarian cancer patients and their families and validate a model for integrating specialty and primary care across the community continuum. Project Melody was designed to empower ovarian cancer patients and their clinicians to co-create new communication, learning, behavior change, and care coordination solutions utilizing a unique design and engagement process. This project explored how to best integrate population management, disease management, and behavior change strategies in a model that integrates specialty services into the primary care medical home.
Twenty-four ovarian cancer patients and a like number of physicians and specialists got together for a two-day provider-patient co-creation experience design event. Following design sessions, pilot adaptive units were put in place to track implementation progress.
Results
Ovarian cancer touch points were redesigned and many new patient-centric solutions were implemented between participating providers.
