What does taking control of cancer look like? For one patient, 43-year-old Kristen, it has meant the world. At her company’s cancer assessment through Color, which offers a comprehensive cancer program with employers, Kristen realized she was late for a mammogram. The Color care team got her an appointment within two weeks.

Unfortunately, doctors found an abnormality, and again the care team got Kristen in quickly for the appointment that would indicate she needed a biopsy. The biopsy concluded that she did indeed have breast cancer. Fortunately, they found it at stage one.

“We did all this in 52 days, from start to finish,” Joshua Sturm, chief revenue officer at Color said during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s NYC benefits conference.

“On average, this takes 155 days in this current system. So, we reduced that time by over 60% and that reduced time is a difference from one stage shift to another,” he said.  Looking at these and other data has helped drive how it approached cancer treatment.

The speed at which Color can help patients through the process not only helps increase their rate of survival, it also helps employers by saving money through their cancer program investment.

Detect Early

Based on general demographics in the U.S., about 10 to 15% of people are at high risk of cancer, Sturm told listeners at the presentation. Screening is paramount to catch that risk as early as possible so treatment can be started earlier and be less invasive and expensive. 

But screenings take time and money. “You’ve got to make it simple,” he said. “How are you going to make it simple for your members to follow through on getting screened on cancer? Bring it to their home. Bring it on site. If it’s a screening that isn’t available to be done at home or on site, manage that entire process for them.”

Color can help schedule those in weeks rather than months, and they can help patients actually follow through with results, which has become even more of a priority.

“The biggest gap right now in cancer screening is not necessarily people getting them done, although that’s a big issue,” Sturm said. “It’s when the abnormal result comes back, the majority of people do not follow through on the next phase, they actually understand if they truly have cancer or not, and suddenly there’s a high cost claimant that comes out of nowhere.” 

Those things alone can increase ROI and survivor rates. So, detect early, and help patients follow through. 

Managing Treatment

At any given time, about 1% of people are actively going through cancer treatment. During this time, the patient is scared. No one knows the final outcome. 

One thing Color has been focused on is closing gaps between diagnostics and first actionable steps. Having action steps means a lot to patients. “More than 40% of meetings that happen the first time when you go in are not actionable because these diagnostics aren’t done. That means more cost to you, because you’re going to have to go back in again. It’'s a horrible patient experience. And it’s more expensive.”

Again, speeding up the process and giving the patient hope are paramount, according to Sturm. Employers should also pay attention to extra costs that come up that aren’t typically covered by medical insurance. Rides to treatment, loved ones taking time off work, and so on. “It's really important to think about that,” he added.  

Being vigilant about treatment means helping them manage their symptoms, so they can stay out of the ER if possible. Sturm said they found that being available 24/7 for patients to call and write scripts for not only helps them stay on top of their health, but it increases their rate of satisfaction. 

There’s a big mental health component to this, he says, and really being there for employees means a lot in this critical time. 

Support Survivors

Surviving cancer is a huge step, and most typically celebrate that. But what about the days and weeks and even months following? Do employers realize what that employee might be going through?

Supporting survivors is key, Sturm said. Start by assessing who on your payroll is a survivor so you know who you need to help support. 

“These people are just trying to get back to work. They are just trying to live their life like they did before they were an active cancer patient. They are dealing with mental health issues, physical health issues, dietary issues,” he said. Not only that, but cancer survivors have a much higher rate of cancer (recurrence) than those who have never had it.

One survivor might have trouble doing any work after 2:00 in the afternoon, so companies need to make sure that patients know how to communicate with their manager or with HR so they can get accommodations.

They may also have additional screenings for the next months or years. Taking that burden off them and helping them get through that is something companies can offer, Sturm added. 

“We’re going to get you back to work and help you understand how to talk to your employer, or we'll talk to your employer on your behalf. We're going to help the team around you to understand what you’ve just gone through. Because it doesn’t end, right? It doesn’t end when you’re a survivor.”

In the end, companies need to make sure everyone gets a care plan. “Make sure everyone understands what they need to do physically, mentally, dietary wise, to survive. Make sure they’re following through.” All of this leads to healthier employees and less costs for the company and the patient overall. 

Using data to better manage cancer has led Color to focus on easier screening, faster diagnosis, following up on treatment, and supporting survivors. With this, they’ve been able to decrease costs and help patients have better outcomes. “We’re very proud of this kind of work that we're doing,” he added. 

Stories like Kristen’s resonate because most everyone knows someone who has had cancer. They know the fear, the side effects, the waiting. And if Color can help companies alleviate some of that, then they’re doing their job.

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Color, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.

Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.