New Online Tool Supports Cancer Patient Wellness
Cancer patients have unique medical, emotional, and practical needs throughout their journey from diagnosis to recovery. To help patients measure and communicate their progress to healthcare providers, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center has released a new online tool called My Wellness Check.
Patient-doctor communication is a critical part of treatment that helps healthcare providers develop individualized short- and long-term care plans and monitor patient progress and outcomes.
Patients can easily keep their Sylvester multidisciplinary care team informed by answering a simple questionnaire, so our providers can respond with appropriate services and accommodations. When patients’ needs are met with personalized care, their quality of life improves during treatment and beyond.
Published research reveals that participation in ongoing monitoring of physical and emotional symptoms as well as practical needs through Sylvester’s My Wellness Check dramatically improves the care team’s ability to refer the patient to available services. The research team, who worked with a racially and ethnically diverse group of study participants, showed these interventions are also associated with fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
My Wellness Check enables your care team to address issues like:
- Physical symptoms — reducing pain, fatigue, nausea, and weight loss
- Practical needs — addressing transportation, workplace, child care, and financial concerns
- Emotional well-being — managing anxiety, depression, and stress
- Exercise — staying active, maintaining muscle, and supporting immune health
- Nutrition — meeting dietary needs with easy meals and calorie-dense supplements
- Lifestyle — staying socially active, discovering inspiring hobbies, and getting quality sleep
- Survivorship — access to support groups, seminars, workshops, therapies (art, music, and massage), and specialty clinics
How do I use My Wellness Check?
Patients can access My Wellness Check only before a scheduled appointment with a Sylvester provider.
The questionnaire is part of UHealth’s medical records system called MyChart. To get started, sign in to the MyChart mobile app or visit MyUHealthChart.com.
Once logged in, go to your message folder to find the My Wellness Check questionnaire, which should take 8 to 10 minutes to complete. This tool is available in English and Spanish.
Your answers will be sent to your Sylvester medical and supportive care teams. You may be contacted by phone to review your responses. If needed, your doctor will review your answers with you during your next scheduled appointment. This review process allows your team to provide patient-centered care and optimize your treatment plan.
Call 305-243-8864 or email [email protected].
Dana Kantrowitz is a contributor for UHealth’s news service.
Originally published on: August 01, 2022
Tags: cancer care in Miami, cancer survivorship, my wellness check
