Emcara Health supports patients with cancer, helping to ease the challenges of treatment and improve overall physical and mental well-being.
By Emcara Health Editors
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is an overwhelming and uncertain time. Having support from family and friends—to help with travel, medications, and emotional support—can make all the difference as each patient navigates a healthcare system that’s as complex as their treatment plan.
Also invaluable is having an extra set of eyes and ears in the home. That’s where the Emcara Health care team comes in. Undergoing treatment with Emcara Health by their side gives patients with cancer peace of mind as they face the long journey ahead.
“Our providers assess and examine patients with cancer in their home, which provides a sense of comfort,” says Beth Devans, ANP-BC, a director of clinical operations at Emcara Health. “They don’t need to leave their home to go to yet another doctor’s appointment.”
And there’s no rushing through appointments. “Our provider visits are longer than traditional in-office visits,” says Devans. “We spend time with patients and their caregivers to answer their questions and find out what help they need.”
Here are five other ways Emcara Health helps patients with cancer navigate their condition so they can focus on what matters most—getting well.
Patients with cancer have many appointments with different providers. Emcara Health helps them get to the right place at the right time.
“Whether it’s coordinating care, providing transportation, or answering questions, we’re available to patients 24 hours a day,” says Mark Cohen, M.D., medical director at Emcara Health. “If a medical need occurs, the patient doesn’t need to wait until the next day to get an answer or a treatment.”
What’s more, says Dr. Cohen, Emcara Health communicates with the patient’s primary care doctor and specialists to make sure issues are addressed appropriately and quickly. This results in a decrease in emergency room visits and hospital admissions, says Dr. Cohen.
Keeping up with medications is one of the biggest challenges facing patients with cancer. Along with drugs directly related to treatment, patients often take medicine for pain, nausea, and other symptoms. That can mean as many as 20 pills a day, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Emcara Health helps patients organize their medications to ensure they’re taking the right drug at the right time. This reduces the risk of making a mistake that can worsen symptoms or cause side effects.
Emcara Health can also help patients manage costs, says Devans. “Our community health workers work with our in-house pharmacy service to review all medications, including cost,” she says.
Seeing patients at home is a win-win. Not only does it reduce the hassle of going to a doctor’s office for patients, but it provides our clinicians a more holistic view into their lives.
“Seeing the patient in their living environment tells us so much more than an in-office visit,” says Devans. “We see their home, their environment, and the people they live with and have as caregivers. This allows us to evaluate any social determinants of health, which can impact a patient’s overall health.”
Emcara Health can help with food insecurity, housing, transportation, and more.
Our care teams will check in with patients with cancer throughout their treatment.
“Our registered nurses call patients at least twice a month, more if needed, to make sure they’re following the treatment plans given to them by their specialists and our provider,” says Devans. “Our 24-hour phone line allows them to contact us at any time to ask for help, including an in-home visit by one of our nurse practitioners or physician’s assistants.”
Because Emcara Health clinicians are part of a care team, which is led by a regional medical director, they’re well equipped to make sure patients get the care they need and prevent emergency room visits and hospital admissions.
Pain management is a major focus for Emcara Health. “Pain control is a concern of all patients. We assess a patient’s pain in their home while they’re doing everyday tasks,” says Devans. “We then can discuss their pain with their treating physician or connect them with a pain specialist if necessary. This ensures they can still find joy in life with a diagnosis of cancer.”
Patients often have goals, whether it is going out to lunch with their grandchild or attending a wedding out of town. “With our coordination of care,” Devans says, “we can help the patient meet their goals of everyday life.”
Emcara Health care teams are available around the clock to help patients manage their health and health conditions. Think of us as an extra set of eyes and ears in the home. To learn more, call Emcara Health at 1-800-728-0901 between 9 am and 6 pm ET from Monday to Friday.
