TORONTO – Cancer patients and oncologists will soon have a safer and easier option for cancer care thanks to the creation of a new integrative platform by two Ontario doctors, medical oncologist Dr. Brandon Meyers (pictured on left) and MedTech scientist Dr. Eva Szabo (pictured on right). EMRO.Cloud is a one-stop, virtual on-demand platform that connects cancer patients with oncology experts to obtain expert medical opinions on diagnosis and personalized treatment options. The platform will be launching to all of Canada on January 9, 2022, as well as to the US and the UAE.
EMRO.Cloud provides healthcare professionals in the oncology field with a digital diagnosis tool, enabling them to offer diagnosis and treatment options in a safe, secure, and remote setting, without compromising the health of patients by exposing them to infectious agents. With EMRO.Cloud, cancer patients can receive second or third opinions on their cancer diagnosis as well as discuss their diagnosis and patient-tailored treatment strategies with medical experts to obtain a complete picture of their disease and available options.
The pandemic exacerbated gaps in an already backlogged cancer care system, making it difficult for patients to see oncologists to receive second or third opinions on diagnosis, undergo additional testing or to discuss treatment options, leading some to seek care outside of Canada. For oncologists like Dr. Meyers, lockdowns made it almost impossible for oncologists to see their patients who had lowered immune systems that made them susceptible to infections. Recognizing that patients had become more technologically savvy during pandemic lockdowns, Doctors Szabo and Meyers teamed up to create EMRO Doctors Inc. and to develop a safer, integrative, patient-centric option for cancer care that would not require travel.
“Now more than ever we are realizing that we need to rethink the way we care for cancer patients. We need to make access to care from anywhere and this is possible by transforming how we deliver care and interact with patients. The healthcare field is going through a digital transformation with a focus on the patients, which means we must offer the options of having access to care from anywhere and anytime and that includes first, second and third opinions, if necessary,” says Dr. Meyers. “Technology allows us to connect cancer centres, diagnostic clinics, and cancer care teams virtually, all with the main focus on the patient and their care. With our platform, EMRO.Cloud we are trying to surpass the status quo and create a more open and inclusive cancer care experience for both the patients and their families.”
For Dr. Eva Szabo, the inspiration for EMRO.Cloud came from her experience of caring for her parents, both of whom were diagnosed with cancer. The backlog in care and the inability to receive all of the info they needed took its toll.
“More and more people are going to online sources and platforms to seek answers to questions about their health. Both my parents had cancer. As a medical science professional and primary caregiver for my parents, I’ve personally seen the gaps in the current system,” Dr. Szabo says. “EMRO.Cloud was designed to overcome some of these gaps.”
Covered by Canadian healthcare plans, as well as being HIPAA and Ontario’s PHIPA compliant, EMRO.Cloud enables cancer patients to contact cancer care professionals who already participate on the platform, to reach out to other physicians or to invite their current physicians to join the platform. They can also invite their support systems, such as family members or translators. Physicians too, can join the platform at any time and invite their patients. Patients and doctors can upload medical information to the system, which is then sorted into highly secure, specific folders that enable physicians to navigate the information easily and quickly. EMRO.Cloud also enables doctors to order diagnostics or further testing from partnering diagnostic centres close to where patients reside.
“Our priority is to help the entire cancer care team in providing the best, personalized care possible for patients, from anywhere and anytime,” Dr. Szabo adds. “And to enable cancer patients to be the drivers and true partners in their care.”
