OncoHealth Collaborates with Three Innovative Health Plans to Deliver Personalized Supportive Care
ATLANTA – [March 22, 2022] – OncoHealth, the leading digital health company dedicated to oncology, unveiled today a new digital telehealth service for people with cancer. Iris™ by OncoHealth combines human-centered design, mobile technology, data, empathy, and specially trained oncology experts to deliver personalized, oncology-specific, 24×7 telehealth support to patients and their families facing cancer.
OncoHealth will launch Iris in collaboration with three of the nation’s leading health plans including Point32Health, HealthPartners®, and a large regional plan in the Midwest. Beginning this spring, all three plans will begin a defined roll-out to a subset of their respective members across five states. The health plans involved collectively insure more than 5 million members.
“Whether you live close to the best cancer centers in the country or like the 32 million Americans who live in counties without an oncologist or access to cancer-specific mental health resources, what do you do when side effects show up after hours or you just need to talk with someone about your fears and anxiety? The absence of care during these critical moments contributes to higher utilization of acute care settings, including emergency department visits and hospitalizations,” said Rick Dean, CEO, OncoHealth. “Iris is there for the moments in between, providing access to high-quality cancer mental health care and physical symptom management, all at no cost to the patient, from the convenience of wherever they are, at the time they need it.”
Iris is designed to drive excellent clinical outcomes, enhance the member experience, and provide personalized supportive care to improve the quality of life for patients who are facing cancer.
“OncoHealth and Point32Health’s Center for Clinical Innovation are excited to work together on how to improve the experience for our members with cancer through digital technology,” said Michael Sherman, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Point32Health. “This collaboration with OncoHealth and two other innovative health plans is truly unique in the payer space. We want to ensure that our members who are enduring a difficult and emotional time in their lives can access trusted experts 24-hours a day.”
OncoHealth designed Iris for patients with cancer and their caregivers, enabling them to connect with a team of dedicated US-based oncology experts easily and securely via chat, phone, or video. This includes connecting with oncology nurses, social workers, psychologists, physician assistants, peer mentors, and MDs, where and when they want, using their existing Apple® iPhone® and Google® Android™ smartphones as well as the web.
“A cancer diagnosis affects every part of a person’s being. We work to make sure our patients and members are supported physically with high-quality treatment and symptom management, as well as emotionally with access to mental health and resiliency resources,” said Kevin Ronneberg, MD, Vice President and Associate Medical Director of Health Initiatives at HealthPartners. “Iris is one of the new and innovative ways we’re improving the cancer care experience and delivering supportive, holistic care in a way that’s convenient and affordable.”
Through Iris, patients who are enrolled in participating health plans will have access to previously unattainable benefits through each phase of their treatment journey. All are integrated together in a single platform.
- Personalized 24×7 oncology nurse care. Cancer-related symptoms and side effects can lead to costly emergency department visits or even hospitalizations. These situations can happen on the weekend, in the middle of the night, or at other unforeseen times. Having instant access to empathetic, trained oncology nurses can be a huge benefit. For example, a patient who is on active anti-cancer therapy and hasn’t been able to sleep well due to drug side effects can use Iris to reach an oncology nurse 24×7 via their smartphone for advice on how best to handle insomnia. Through OncoHealth’s data, the oncology nurse will know the patient, the cancer type, and the current drug therapy the patient is receiving and be able to provide accurate medical advice when it’s needed most.
- Oncology-specific mental health care. Tailored specifically to patients with cancer, the Iris mental health solution supports patients who would like guidance on topics such as fear of recurrence, how to talk with their family about their diagnosis, and effective coping strategies for the emotional side of cancer. Patients can access evidence-based, self-directed oncology mental health information or schedule time directly via Iris on the patient’s smartphone, to work with a trained cancer-specific mental health expert employed by OncoHealth.
- Network of peer mentors. Patients will have access to people who share similar characteristics as members, such as their gender, age, cancer diagnosis, and treatment. Utilizing a peer mentor coach, members can use asynchronous communication or live sessions to better understand the benefits and value of the Iris telehealth platform while forming a trusted relationship with someone who’s been there.
- Peace of mind with expert reviews. The FDA has approved over 285 new cancer indications since 2017. As patients manage their illness, they are often overwhelmed and confused trying to understand if their prescribed therapy is most appropriate for them, based on their specific disease, cancer stage, and genetic profile. Iris provides patients with a trusted second opinion on their cancer drug therapy, using evidence-based guidelines and personalized information including audio, video, and written content specific to their cancer or interest.
“With Iris, we are rethinking the way patients with cancer are supported,” said Andrew Norden, MD, Chief Medical Officer of OncoHealth. “We know we can have a positive impact on the patient experience, improve care and reduce costs, all while working in close collaboration with the patient’s primary oncologist and care team.”
For more information on Iris or to request a demo, please visit www.oncohealth.us/iris.
About OncoHealth
OncoHealth is a leading digital health company dedicated to helping health plans, employers, providers, patients, and life science researchers navigate the physical, mental, and financial complexities of cancer through technology-enabled services and real-world data analytics. Supporting more than 7 million people in the US and Puerto Rico, OncoHealth offers digital solutions for treatment review, real-world evidence, and telehealth across all cancer types. For more information, visit www.oncohealth.us.
Media Contact:
OncoHealth
Jennifer Haas
jhaas@oncohealth.us
(978)697-3921