Latest Study Demonstrates Nurse Involvement With TheONC.org Improves Care For Nearly Half A Million Cancer Patients Annually

NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Medica US today announced that according to latest third-party outcomes measurement research, members of The Oncology Nurse Community (TheONC.org) are now estimated to improve care for more than 489,000 cancer patients each year, by applying knowledge and insights gleaned from the site.  These results continue to demonstrate how structured online communities can translate to real-world impact in clinical practice and patient care.

Launched in February 2012, TheONC – currently with over 9,700 members, representing more than 22 percent of the oncology nurse population in the United States– is a free online community exclusively created for oncology nurses and the cancer care teams that support them. This latest outcomes study was conducted by Improve CME, LLC, a third-party continuing medical education outcomes measurement and analysis company, to assess TheONC as a resource for healthcare providers and to evaluate the impact of an online community on patient care.

"In less than two years, TheONC has emerged as a leading resource for oncology nurses and others who serve the unique healthcare needs of the cancer community.  Members are able to learn about latest research and treatment information in a secure environment where they can discuss what they've learned, share experiences, and support one another," said Brian Field, EVP/Managing Director, UBM Medica US. "The positive results detailed in this latest outcomes research further validate how structured online communities like TheONC can foster changes among healthcare providers and ultimately benefit the patients they treat."

Continuing the methodology used since the assessment began in 2012, Improve CME undertook a variety of quantitative and qualitative measurements to measure increases in knowledge, confidence and intent to improve behavior among community members, imposing the same rigors typically applied to formally accredited educational programs to a social platform. Data collected through the outcomes assessment demonstrated application of information to practice and positive patient impact as follows:

• 78% of respondents reported that content from TheONC has improved their professional satisfaction
• 83% of respondents have applied what they've learned on TheONC to day-to-day care of their patients
• 91% of outcomes survey respondents reported improving care for a combined total of 8,006 to 12,938 patients with cancer in the month prior to survey completion

"After more than a year of working with UBM Medica US to optimize and measure the educational effectiveness of an online community, we continue to find that members of TheONC are using what they've learned on the site to improve practice and behavior – which positively impacts the patients they treat," said Derek Dietze, President of Improve CME, LLC. "Based on these assessments, we conservatively estimate that the 9,429 members of the site at the time of our assessment will improve care for more than 489,000 patients with cancer over the course of a one-year period as a result of their involvement with TheONC."

TheONC.org is supported by unrestricted grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly and Company.

For more information about the community, visit TheONC at www.TheONC.org.

UBM Medica US Media contact:
Amy Erdman
203-523-7041
amy.erdman@ubm.com

SOURCE UBM Medica; TheONC.org