Developing a technology-based intervention for empowering cancer patients from low-income backgrounds: a lifecycle approach

Abstract

Despite significant advances across the cancer continuum from prevention through survivorship, achieving uniform high-quality, patient-centered care for all remains a challenge. We have entered the era of precision medicine and multi-modal treatment where the promise of cure is great. Yet fragmented care and disparities in cancer outcomes persist, especially among those individuals from low income and under-resourced backgrounds. Thoughtful, mindful, and purposeful implementation of technology-based innovations have the potential to empower cancer patients and improve long-term outcomes and overall quality of life. These innovations have the potential to provide access to early detection and treatment and to extend and streamline cancer care coordination efforts by complementing and enhancing provider roles throughout the cancer continuum. Technology can be leveraged to mitigate limited resources and in turn improve long-term cancer outcomes for low-income cancer patients. While innovations in technology span a broad spectrum of advancement, we focus here on a technology-based intervention that serves the end goal of empowering patients throughout the cancer continuum as an example of what can be done to support cancer care and management through technology-based innovations.

Keywords:

• cancer
• low income
• technology
• innovation
• intervention
• empower

Acknowledgments

The case study described above is the result of the work of the Technology-Enhanced Navigation (TEN) Clinical Trial Study Team, comprising the Prevention and Research Center with Dr Kathy Helzlsouer as the study Principal Investigator, Advancing Synergy, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, funding for the clinical trial from Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and referring providers across the state of Maryland.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.