| ||
| Vol. 25, No. 8 |
| May 1, 2003 |
|
Need a Cancer Consult? Check Your Pocket What if your primary care physician could reach into his or her labcoat pocket and pull out a handheld personal digital assistant with instant access to information that helps diagnose or treat cancer? And what if this information were available to the medical profession at no charge? In Texas, it is – and the tool that makes it available is becoming more and more popular among physicians and medical residents. CA-Tools was developed through a cooperative effort of the American Cancer Society, Texas Medical Association and the Physician Oncology Education Program, or POEP. “The physicians on the American Cancer Society’s Health Science Advisory Committee felt that a product such as CA-Tools could assist doctors by increasing their knowledge and reducing barriers to cancer control issues,” said Lewis Foxhall, M.D., associate vice president for health policy at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Foxhall participated in the development of CA-Tools, and is a member of the American Cancer Society’s Houston Metro Executive Board of Directors and education subcommittee chair for POEP’s steering committee. “One of POEP’s most popular publications has been a laminated card with the American Cancer Society’s screening guidelines,” says Foxhall. “The committee determined that if this information were available in a PDA application, it could be expanded in several areas.” “As more and more physicians begin using the tool, they will offer their suggestions for expansion of the program,” says Foxhall. “This is a good tool, but it is still in its infancy. There are many opportunities for future enhancements.” For more information or to obtain a free download of the CA-Tools, physicians and medical professionals in Texas may log onto http://www.poep.com. The CA-Tools program offers the following applications:
©2006 Texas Medical Center E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/05_01_03/page_08.html |