GuideWell Teams with American Cancer Society for First-of-its-Kind Program Aimed to Change the Cancer Experience

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- GuideWell Innovation is proud to collaborate with the American Cancer Society in an effort to improve cancer survivorship through a unique immersion program—GuideWell introduces Greater than Cancer: The Other Side, powered by the American Cancer Society.

Approximately 40 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. Their survivorship journey begins the moment they receive their diagnosis, and it is a journey filled with complexities, obstacles and conflict. The goal of Greater than Cancer is to tackle four critical areas that cause many of those challenges and explore potential opportunities to improve the experience for patients. Those four areas include:

• The patient and caregiver experience
• The provider and health professional experience
• The cost of cancer
• Winning the psychological war

"The challenges cancer survivors face too often distract from what is most important—winning their battle against the disease. As a company focused on advancing the transformation of the health industry through rapid acceleration of health innovation, GuideWell Innovation wants to address some of these key challenges collaboratively to find solutions that improve the experience of cancer survivorship," said Renee Finley, head of GuideWell Innovation.

"There was no better partner to team with for this program than the American Cancer Society, which has advocated for and supported cancer patients for more than 100 years," Finley added.

"Thanks to advances in detection and treatment, 15.5 million cancer survivors are alive in America today. This fact is a cause for celebration but it also raises a slew of questions and opens the door to a new frontier of research," says Dr. Richard Wender, chief cancer control officer for the American Cancer Society. "The American Cancer Society is committed to assisting cancer survivors from the point of diagnosis onward, regardless of the cancer trajectory, which is why Greater than Cancer is so important to us. We're excited to get to work with GuideWell so that we can identify and tackle the unique challenges facing anyone and everyone diagnosed with cancer."

Greater than Cancer begins with a two-day event, August 25-26, at the GuideWell UST Global Innovation Center in Orlando's Lake Nona Medical City. It will bring together patients, thought leaders from clinical and regulatory affairs, payers, providers, researchers and innovators who will first explore, question and debate the complexities of battling cancer to identify the issues underlying the overall experience. Next, they will explore potential opportunities that may provide solutions to create better outcomes for cancer patients.

Following the two days of in-person interactive activities, a six-month digital conversation will continue on multiple platforms to clarify issues and identify new opportunities from the exchange of information and ideas among participants.

About GuideWell Innovation

GuideWell Innovation, a subsidiary of GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation, is focused on advancing the transformation of the health industry through rapid acceleration of health innovation. Headquartered in Orlando, Fla.'s Lake Nona Medical City, the GuideWell UST Global Innovation Center facility is anchored by the GuideWell Innovation CoRE™ (Collaborative Resource Ecosystem), designed to become the global epicenter of health excellence, where thought leaders address current issues, evaluate emerging trends and develop next-generation health solutions to radically transform the industry and the consumer experience for better health. For more information, visit guidewellinnovation.com.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160202/328914LOGO

SOURCE GuideWell Innovation

Related Links

http://www.bcbsfl.com