Management of cancer is almost always a team effort . Modern oncology care involves a variable combination of radiation therapy, chemo therapy, and surgery . Treatment costs are significant , and in some cases, it may not be possible to get a cure even with the best treatment plans. Oncologists( doctors who specialize in treatment of cancer) across the globe have recognised the importance of discussing their patients treatment (s)at a “tumour board” meeting which involves a multi-disciplinary team of doctors and therapists . This ensures that a single doctors knowledge, experience( and importantly their personal bias) DOES NOT determine the patient care. Instead a group of doctors discuss and arrive at a logical conclusion as to the best possible treatment plan for an individual cancer patient.
Although these type of meetings large cancer centers, it is difficult to implement them in a community setting.
However, now in the digitally connected world, it is possible to connect experts from different specializations and bring them together under one umbrella.
OncologiC is an initiative by AOMSI (Association of Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgeons of India) and GrowAyu Technologies Ltd. which aims to bring the concept tumor board in Oral Cancer care a reality and. readily available to doctors and cancer patients all over the country . With help of leveraging technology, it provides a virtual tumor board wherein doctors and surgeons can upload their patient’s case with all details, photos, images, reports and diagnosis, and seek expert opinion on the best treatment plan for their patient.
OncologiC enables an unbiased, patient centered cancer care which is backed up with latest international guidance. It is designed to help the expert panelists review the cases with ease and also while on the move. It enables them to have a discussion with other panelists and provide a most appropriate treatment recommendation.
OncologiC provides the following features to the tumor board panelists.
• Admin functionality
o Administer the case
o Review full details of the patient and share the case details with other panelists
o Choose a date and timeslot for the case review
o Collate all the recommendations received from the panelists and summarize into a final treatment plan
• Panelist functionality
o Receive the allocated cases in his/her app
o Review the case details
o Interact with the other panel members and the case referring doctor / surgeon
o Provide a recommendation from their perspective on the treatment plan