Bringing cancer care into the patient’s home
When Glen Peterson, D.N.P., started exploring ways to improve cancer care, his vision was audacious: to bring advanced, high-quality treatment out of the hospital and into patients’ homes.
As an associate professor in the Division of Hematology at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Peterson saw the toll that traditional cancer care – with its endless clinic visits, hospital stays and exorbitant costs – was taking on patients. With the partnership of CU Innovations, he was able to form groundbreaking partnerships to test what’s possible in reimagining patient care.
“The future is now,” Peterson said. “We’ve shown that remote patient monitoring and in-home care aren’t just feasible, they’re transformative.”
Collaborative approach to innovation
Peterson’s recent feasibility studies on in-home care tackled complex treatments: autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants and CAR-T cell therapies for aggressive blood cancers. The studies aimed to determine if these therapies – which involve risks and are traditionally only offered in hospital settings – could be managed effectively at home. Results were promising.
“We received support from CU Innovations and a CU Anschutz research support team called CReST to perform this study,” Peterson said. “We also partnered with a private health care company called Reimagine Care and a CU Innovations spinoff company called BiointelliSense to conduct remote monitoring of the blood cancer patients enrolled in the study.”
By using tools like BiointelliSense’s Bio Sticker and Bio Button for remote monitoring, DispatchHealth, another private in-home health company, for in-home interventions, and a text-based communication platform, the studies demonstrated that high-risk cancer patients could safely receive care at home.
While the studies were small, involving 20 patients, they highlighted the potential for a seismic shift in cancer treatment.
“We’re talking about reducing hospital stays, cutting costs and most importantly improving the quality of life for patients,” Peterson said.
Profound benefits
For patients, the benefits of in-home care are profound. It can reduce the physical, emotional and financial burdens of repeated hospital visits. Patients can recover surrounded by their loved ones, maintain some semblance of normalcy and miss fewer days of work or school while undergoing treatment.
“The time patients spend in hospitals often comes at the expense of their families, their jobs and their lives,” Peterson said. “By shifting care into the home, we’re giving that time back to them.”
From a health care perspective, the model addresses critical challenges, including hospital overcrowding, staffing shortages and rising costs.
“This approach is cheaper, safer and more efficient,” Peterson said. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Powerful collaboration
The success of these studies underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The CU Anschutz Medical Campus brought together academic experts, private companies and health care providers to tackle the logistical and technological challenges of in-home cancer care. Partners including Reimagine Care, BiointelliSense and DispatchHealth contributed cutting-edge tools and services, while CU Innovations ensured the project remained organized, efficient and focused.
“This wasn’t just one person’s effort,” Peterson said. “It took a multidisciplinary team – from nurses and advanced practitioners to researchers, pharmacists and financial experts – to make this happen.”
Pioneering a new model of care wasn’t without hurdles. Patient compliance with wearable monitors, data integration with electronic health records, and lab processing logistics were just a few of the challenges the team faced. However, staying laser-focused on the patient, frequent communication and adaptive problem-solving kept the project on track.
“We learned a lot,” Peterson said. “From improving patient education to streamlining technological processes, every challenge taught us how to do better.”
The future of cancer care
Looking ahead, Peterson envisions a world where in-home care is the norm, not the exception. He’s particularly optimistic about scaling the model to other types of cancer and even beyond oncology.
“The potential applications are limitless,” he said. “With continued innovation, we can expand this approach to other complex medical conditions, ensuring patients get the best care without sacrificing their quality of life.”
For aspiring entrepreneurs and researchers, Peterson offers a clear call to action: “Focus on the intersection of technology, patient care and cost efficiency. The opportunities are immense.”
Peterson’s work is more than a study in home health care innovations; it’s a testament to what’s possible when academic institutions embrace bold ideas. CU Innovations played a pivotal role in turning theory into practice, connecting partners, managing logistics and driving progress.
“Without CU Innovations, this wouldn’t have been possible,” Peterson said. “They brought the right people to the table, kept us organized and helped us see it through.”
As cancer care continues to evolve, the work being done at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and by partners like Reimagine Care offers a glimpse into a future where treatment truly revolves around patients’ lives.
“At the end of the day, it’s about doing what’s right for the patient,” Peterson said. “And that means meeting them where they are – at home.”