Services: Case Studies

Managing A Diagnosis of Multiple Cancers

The Challenge:
To empower Mr. C to manage his healthcare after he was diagnosed with multiple cancers, requiring care from multiple specialists.

The Caregivers:
Over 18 healthcare professionals in all, including a primary care physician, surgeon, oncologists, urologist, diagnostic testing facilities, Visiting Nurse agency and others.

The Result: 
Despite Mr. C’s difficult illnesses, Healthassist:

• ensured that he received education and coaching to take control of his care
• facilitated clear, open communication among doctors and other caregivers
• provided smooth management so that no detail fell through the cracks
• helped Mr. C receive excellent care and remain as comfortable as possible during treatment

“Dianne Savastano’s professional service, years of nursing experience and her understanding of the aging process assisted us with our concerns. I cannot say enough about how happy we were with the service that Dianne provided to our family during our time of need.”  --Mr. C’s daughter

Two Signs of Unexpected Illness

At the age of 71, Mr. C had a lifetime of good health and continued to work full-time as a laborer in a foundry. When he decided to undergo a free prostate screening test, Mr. C was told that he had an elevated PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) and he required follow-up care with an urologist. With no regular doctor, Mr. C first needed a primary care physician, and his daughter helped him with this process. Mr. C’s primary doctor recommended that he undergo routine screenings, including his first colonoscopy. Unfortunately, Mr. C was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer and urged to see a surgeon.

Healthassist Professional Healthcare Consulting

Understandably, Mr. C was anxious and confused. Did the elevated PSA mean he had prostate cancer in addition to colo-rectal cancer? How did each condition relate to the other? How would the specialists who treated him coordinate his care? He turned to Healthassist for answers.

Clear, open communication with doctors

Healthassist coached Mr. C to assume primary responsibility for communication about his care to his entire healthcare team – and not to assume they automatically updated one another. As a result, he called his primary care doctor whenever he received new information from his specialists, enabling his PCP to see the big picture and remain an active participant in his care.

Getting it all in writing: insurance review and documentation services 

Healthassist not only conducted a review of Mr. C’s medical insurance plan to ensure he would receive maximum coverage for his medical procedures and office visits – we organized Mr. C’s growing healthcare information in one place so that no detail would be lost, requesting copies of test results and office visits from each of his physicians. Mr. C could take this file with him to appointments, ensuring no delays or setbacks in care for lost or missing information.

Attendance at appointments

Based on Healthassist’s research, we suggested that Mr. C consult with an in-network surgeon who had years of experience with colo-rectal tumors. Healthassist accompanied Mr. C to appointments and documented the proceedings. The surgeon recommended that Mr. C undergo radiation treatment and chemotherapy before the surgical procedure to remove the tumor. The surgeon referred him to a Radiation Oncologist and a Medical Oncologist. Healthassist educated Mr. C about these specialists and the treatment they would provide. 

Advocacy during treatment

In close telephone contact with Mr. C over the three months it took to complete the radiation and chemotherapy treatment, our discussion focused on his progress, any complications, his questions and concerns. Because the elevated PSA screening had taken a back seat to the colo-rectal cancer diagnosis, Healthassist reminded Mr. C to request a referral from his primary care physician to an urologist and to inform his surgeon of the appointment.

A second cancer diagnosis

The urologist suggested a prostate biopsy that confirmed that Mr. C indeed had prostate cancer unrelated to his colo-rectal cancer. The urologist, who was aware of Mr. C’s colo-rectal cancer and upcoming surgery, recommended hormonal therapy as the preferred treatment option, and Mr. C relayed this information to Healthassist by phone. When additional questions arose about these concurrent treatments, Healthassist contacted his urologist directly, documenting the conversation. 

Support before surgery

In preparation for Mr C’s colo-rectal surgery, Healthassist accompanied him to his pre-op appointment with the surgeon. Here, to our surprise, it became clear that there had been no direct communication between the surgeon and Mr. C’s urologist. Healthassist relayed the information about Mr. C’s prostate cancer diagnosis and proposed treatment, and urged the surgeon to call the urologist for more details, which he did immediately. The decision was made to proceed with the surgical procedure for Mr. C’s colo-rectal cancer.

Preparation for the hospital stay

Healthassist reviewed Mr. C’s pre-operative instructions and talked with him at length to help him prepare for his hospital experience. After reviewing Mr. C’s recommended diet regimen, we researched and provided sample menus that accommodated his new dietary restrictions.

Support through ongoing treatment

After Mr. C’s recovery, he received numerous protocols of chemotherapy. Through all the stages of his diagnosis and treatment, Healthassist was there to anticipate potential side effects and to help recognize complications that had to be reported to his physicians. Healthassist also helped facilitate all the necessary communication among the many medical team members. Throughout Mr. C’s illness Healthassist helped make sure that, despite his difficult treatment, he was able to assert his independence, attend family gatherings and maintain many of his favorite activities.

Healthassist Services Overview

• Education to ensure clear, open communication among 10 physicians and caregivers
• Attendance and advocacy at medical appointments
• Maintenance of complex medical records, retrieval of diagnostic tests and a review of medical insurance
• Assistance in locating and working with specialists
• Advocacy during treatment and management of side-effects
• Preparation for hospital stays and support during recovery
• Support for Mr. C’s circle of caregivers, including his daughter and other family members