The Honors Program recognizes visionary applications of information technology that promotes positive social, economic and educational change.
HCA's navigation system helps patients with suspicious findings through all phases of cancer treatment – prevention, addressing prevention, screening and early detection, diagnosis, treatment, palliative and supportive care.
By tracking progress, providing checklists, facilitating communication and producing reminders, the system becomes a vital documentation tool in the expansion of capabilities and patient outcome success.
"We are pleased with the success of the Cancer Navigation Solution and the service it provides to the patients who trust their care to HCA facilities. As the newly formed cancer service line of HCA, Sarah Cannon is committed to advancing science and transforming care. The Cancer Navigation Solution and solutions like it allow us to uphold this important mission by using technology and process to produce valuable, appreciated services to our physicians and patients so that people can receive successful, coordinated, effective cancer treatment services," said Andy Corts, CIO of Sarah Cannon.
Due to its success in the first twenty of HCA's hospitals, there are plans to deploy the program in 140 other HCA facilities by the end of the year.
In addition to cancer support, the navigator has been useful in other programmatic initiatives at HCA, such as the market breast conference.
"The market breast conference is a monthly gathering of many healthcare professionals, coming together under the leadership of Sarah Cannon physicians, to openly discuss and improve the care and treatment for women struggling with breast cancer. The conference is exceptional and also improves physician engagement across the market," said Doug Ardoin, MD, CMO TriStar Division.
Prior to the Cancer Navigation System, HCA received honors from Computerworld for a management and information application related to Sarah Cannon clinical trials and a database that assisted HCA with routing financial and other assistance to employees victimized by the Middle Tennessee flood in 2010.
HCA will be presented with a medallion inscribed with the Program's mission, "A Search for New Heroes", at the Computerworld Honors Laureate Ceremony and Awards Gala on June 3, 2013.