OncWebinar: Empowering patients with VyTrac’s Technology
On December 21st, 2021, VyTrac hosted a webinar with an esteemed group of individuals to discuss the role of remote patient monitoring in cancer treatment. The webinar was titled “How remote patient monitoring can improve the cancer patient experience,” and featured Stacy Hurt, MHA, MBA, Mark A. Lewis, MD and oncologist, Gil Bashe, VyTrac’s Strategic Advisor, and Zachary Fink, the CEO and Co-Founder of VyTrac.
Two of the panelists, Stacy Hurt and Dr. Mark Lewis, are themselves cancer survivors, and both related their experience fighting cancer with the help of their healthcare team. The value of the physician-patient relationship in oncology settings was especially stressed. The panel then considered the role of remote patient monitoring in cancer remission and the plethora of benefits added by the ability to monitor patients outside of the hospital.
When asked what VyTrac’s role is in the oncology space, Zachary explained that people often ask him what VyTrac is and his response is simple: “It’s a tool that enables better communication. That’s it.” He went on to explain that better communication means better trust, and better trust always leads to better healthcare outcomes. And that is the goal of VyTrac.
Trust and communication are particularly important when it comes to the medical specialty of oncology because of the personal and intimate nature of cancer. Although the physician and patient develop a strong bond in the hospital, that bond is difficult to maintain once patients leave the hospital or in between chemotherapy treatments.
Zachary addressed the practical ways in which VyTrac’s technology can be a boon to cancer treatment. He explained VyTrac’s key features that can help oncologists track their patients in a more comprehensive manner. “Using technology to care for patients is about capturing a full picture of a person beyond just a vital read.” VyTrac’s technology captures pulse oxidation, blood pressure, temperature, and weight, which is a significant indicator of a cancer patient’s health status. Further, VyTrac can take a patient’s vitals simply by having the patient hold a phone up (with the VyTrac application installed) to their face. Stacy Hart confirmed that as a cancer survivor, it would have been nice to have VyTrac’s technology connecting her to her care team during her treatment. She applauded the advanced technology, emphasizing the great need for such technology for patients receiving treatment that sometimes are too weak to get out of bed.
Dr. Mark Lewis expressed the need for more information during cancer treatment. The reason VyTrac is focused on oncology is because its technology can do just that. VyTrac gathers actionable data, rather than all data, that makes the physician’s life easier. It also gives cancer survivors the reassurance that their healthcare team is still keeping an eye on them after treatment. Often, a patient will receive treatment and then be sent home, with no further monitoring. Dr. Lewis related a study conducted in 2017 that reported significant improvement in patients that were able to relate symptoms and concerns to their healthcare team and received timely responses. “It was equivalent to a new cancer drug on the market,” Dr. Lewis explained.
All the panelists agreed that VyTrac’s technology is absolutely necessary in the oncology space due to its ability to monitor patients out of the hospital. Zachary explained his vision for VyTrac in oncology, and healthcare as a whole. “ The more we innovate with technology, the more we must innovate with medicine. We need to create technology from the perspective of the patient.”
As healthcare continues to evolve as a result of COVID-19 and increasing insurance costs, VyTrac aims to use the advancements in technology and apply them to medicine – placing the patient at the center of healthcare.