Supportive Oncology Services Accrues One Million Cancer Patient Self-Reported Assessments

Memphis, TN-April 14, 2008-Supportive Oncology Services, Inc. (SOS), a noted leader in oncology research-based health information, announced today it has accrued over one million cancer patient self-reported assessments using the PACE™ electronic e/Tablet system. In October, 2000 medical oncologists at The West Clinic began collecting information directly from cancer patients via a wireless, touch screen e/Tablet system known as the Patient Assessment Care and Education (PACE) System. The clinicians were in search of better ways to monitor and manage symptoms in order to improve quality of life issues for cancer patients. Recently, the one millionth self-reported patient assessment was collected from a US-based practice via PACE, establishing a milestone in the accrual of Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) in the oncology community.

PACE provides a gender-specific, in-depth review of body systems and psychological/social well-being, facilitating a more focused and productive physician/patient encounter. “The PACE System prompts patients to tell me things they might otherwise forget,” according to Pat Cobb, MD, medical oncologist with Hematology-Oncology Centers of the Northern Rockies in Billings, MT. “Additionally, patients seem more comfortable sharing sensitive information such as symptoms of depression, suicide, and sexual dysfunction. I prefer to have the PACE assessment completed before meeting with the patient.”

In recent reports, the value of PROs in caring for the patient and potentially predicting and avoiding negative outcomes has been recognized by the Institute of Medicine (Cancer Care for the Whole Patient, 2008) and research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology(J Clin Oncol 26:1355-1363). Clinical research findings, utilizing PACE generated PROs, have also been presented at major oncology conferences by opinion leaders in community oncology and researchers from Duke University.

From a clinical research perspective, PROs gathered by the PACE System allow quantitative measurement of the differences in patients’ symptom severity (symptom burden) and quality of life when treated with different cancer regimens. “We are now realizing the scientific value of PROs,” states psychologist, Dr. Art Houts, one of the original scientists behind the PACE system. “PROs provide unique and powerful insight into the patient’s experience, and we expect they will be useful in predicting and avoiding untoward negative events, thereby improving the patients’ ultimate health outcome.”

About Supportive Oncology Services, Inc. (SOS)

Supportive Oncology Services, Inc. (SOS; www.supportiveoncologyservices.com), an information and outcomes company, works closely with community oncology practices and oncology academic centers which provide treatment for over a half million cancer patients across the US. SOS also collaborates with bio-technology and pharmaceutical companies, the financial industry, payers, and other cancer-related industry leaders on diverse clinical, financial, and operational initiatives. By continuously offering improvements, measuring results and providing value, SOS helps define and improve the quality of cancer care provided.