Flatiron Health: Pioneering Cancer Research with Real-World Data
Flatiron Health, a healthcare technology company specializing in oncology, has made significant strides in the field of cancer research. With a database of over 4 million patient records derived from electronic health records (EHR), Flatiron has recently celebrated a milestone of over 1,000 research publications based on its real-world data. Neal Meropol, M.D., the company’s vice president of research oncology, spoke with Healthcare Innovation about the evolution of research capabilities and the impact of Flatiron’s data on cancer care.
Flatiron, founded in 2012 as an independent affiliate of the Roche Group, collaborates with various stakeholders in the healthcare industry, including academic institutions, regulatory bodies, and biopharmaceutical companies. Meropol, a medical oncologist, oversees the teams at Flatiron dedicated to generating evidence from retrospective and prospective studies using real-world data.
Healthcare Innovation: What significant changes have you observed in Flatiron’s capabilities over the past few years?
Meropol: Over the years, our mission at Flatiron has remained consistent – to improve and extend lives by leveraging data from every cancer patient’s experience. While our core mission has stayed the same, we have witnessed a significant expansion in the types of research areas our data are applied to. Initially used for market tracking, our data are now utilized by academia, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and regulators for a wide range of research applications. Moreover, we have enhanced our data sources by incorporating external data like claims data, genomic data, and digital images, allowing us to extract deeper insights for various research purposes.
Healthcare Innovation: How has Flatiron contributed to advancing health equity and understanding different patterns of care in cancer treatment?
Meropol: Our data now serve a broader purpose, including exploring health equity, comparative effectiveness, and analyzing real-world outcomes to influence policy decisions and care quality. We have delved into topics such as the impact of drug shortages on patient outcomes, the influence of national policies on cancer care, and disparities in care delivery based on different demographic factors. The wealth of data available through Flatiron enables us to investigate these critical areas and drive improvements in cancer care delivery.
FAQs:
Q: How has Flatiron’s OncoEMR evolved over the years?
A: Flatiron’s OncoEMR has expanded to include decision support tools like Flatiron Assist, which aids in treatment selection based on patient characteristics.
Q: Is Flatiron exploring the use of AI scribe tools in its EHR system?
A: Yes, Flatiron is facilitating the testing of ambient AI tools for practices interested in adopting AI technology.
Q: How does Flatiron support clinical trial recruitment in community oncology practices?
A: Flatiron offers tools like Clinical Pipe to streamline data transfer for clinical trials, enabling more sites to participate in studies.
Conclusion:
Flatiron Health has established itself as a leader in using real-world data to drive advancements in cancer research and care. With a commitment to leveraging data for the benefit of patients and healthcare providers, Flatiron continues to expand its capabilities and collaborate with stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem. The company’s dedication to improving outcomes for cancer patients highlights the transformative potential of data-driven research in oncology.