Tampa General Hospital adopts new oncology model to reduce clinician workload and improve patient outcomes
As health systems across the country grapple with growing cancer care needs and workforce shortages, Tampa General Hospital this month announced a new virtual care initiative designed to extend clinical support beyond the hospital walls.
The health system is partnering with Reimagine Care, a Nashville-based startup focused on providing virtual symptom management and care coordination services to cancer patients undergoing active treatment. The partnership aims to make cancer care more comfortable and convenient for patients.
Founded in 2020, Reimagine is “an extension of the cancer center,” CEO Dan Nardi said. The startup uses an artificial intelligence virtual assistant called Remi, along with its own nurses and advanced practice practitioners trained in clinical oncology, to provide on-demand virtual support to cancer patients.
“When a patient presents with suspected symptoms at 2 a.m., our platform and team triage, provide guidance and, in rare cases, escalate the issue to the patient’s physician when clinically warranted,” Nardi explained.
He noted that Reimagine logs everything in its hospital partners' EHRs for complete visibility.
About 95% of patient concerns are addressed virtually, Nardi said, which means fewer emergency room visits and less administrative burden on oncologists.
In short, the hospital is responsible for clinical planning and treatment changes for patients, while Reimagine handles the operational heavy lifting associated with ongoing patient monitoring, he claimed.
Elisabeth King, vice president of operations at Tampa Comprehensive Cancer Institute, said these startups stand out among the health system because they offer innovative, proactive models that bring oncology care into the home.
“Their team of oncology nurses and advanced practice providers use telemedicine, phone calls and secure messaging to triage symptoms and provide personalized care. This approach is fully aligned with Tampa General Hospital's commitment to patient-centered innovation, better access and continuity of care,” she said.
To measure the success of the partnership, Tampa General Hospital will track reductions in emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and monitor patient satisfaction, patient-reported outcomes, telehealth and messaging engagement and response times for symptom triage, she said.
The health system also plans to track reductions in oncologists' pajama time, which is the time spent outside of work hours responding to inbox messages and coordinating patient care.
In addition to deploying Reimagine's platform, Tampa General's venture capital arm, TGH Ventures, also invested in the company.
Rachel Feinman, vice president of innovation at TGH Ventures, noted that her team likes the way Reimagine has an AI-forward platform that still recognizes the importance of patients being able to connect directly with oncology nurses and advanced practice practitioners when they need it.
“While we started with the complex needs of medical oncology patients, we see Reimagine Care as a platform from which we can continue to grow across the ontology continuum of care,” Feinman said.
Photo: FatCamera, Getty Images
