It’s a universal fact that smoking is detrimental to health and can lead to many health complications. Cancer patients who smoke have a lower quality of life, this may also lead to a worsening of cancer symptoms and harm the treatment and care process. According to the Office of Surgeon General, smoking can be a main barricade to effective treatment. The toxins present in tobacco can play a part in cellular changes which can influence the way chemotherapy drugs are metabolized.
How can Epic EHR Software optimization help cancer patients call quits on the smoking habit?
An Epic EHR optimization helps cancer patients to have improved access to smoking cessation treatments and increase the number of patients that quit smoking. The Epic EMR Software optimization has robust decision support tools and offers an electronic health record powered smoking module assisting cancer patients to leave smoking and drive better patient outcome levels and improve the overall quality of life.
Once the patient is diagnosed with cancer, the smoking continuation can lead to a decrease in survival chances and also increases the risk of getting other cancers. When patients avoid smoking altogether, treatment success rates can go up reducing the number of side effects.
Capabilities of Epic EMR optimization
ELEVATE, from Epic EHR Software is a relatively new concept of a system that allows seamless access to the best quality smoking cessation care while also decreasing costs and burdens. Elevate has an intuitive smoking model put together in the electronic health records system that cues action by several members of the oncology care team. This helps oncologists to evaluate the patient’s smoking position and also recommend medications and provide cessation therapy to smokers that have cancer.
The efficacy of ELEVATE, From Epic
A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the program. The study incorporated 3,238 oncology patients to examine how ELEVATE can benefit them in terms of cessation treatment. The features of automatic electronic alerts and decision support tools offered greater scope for effective interventions for patients. The smoking cessation capability in the EHR software improved patient reach by eliminating barricades faced from scheduling, traveling, and being part of in-person appointments.
Findings from the study
Patients who have better access to smoking cessation treatment have a three times improved probability to quit smoking. The implementation of ELEVATE boosted smoking cessation treatment reach from 12 percent to 28 percent in clinics having a positive impact on health outcome levels.
When oncologists have access to effective EHR software decision support they can transform the care and treatment of cancer patients who smoke. The tobacco session strategies offered by ELEVATE, from Epic EMR Software can be leveraged at every visit, reducing burdens while promoting innovations.
Patients need to stop smoking to ensure that the cancer treatment being received is effective which is critical for success to overcome this deadly disease. Harnessing EHR-enabled cessation tools and healthcare technology can improve cancer care in the United States.
