New resources for patients as UI Health Care integration efforts continue

Phil Stover, chief executive officer, Mission Cancer + Blood

Almost six months ago, we joined University of Iowa Health Care with a shared vision of creating a statewide network of cancer care to keep high-quality cancer care close to home. Since that time, our teams have been tirelessly learning, collaborating, and building the infrastructure needed to support that vision. I want to thank and recognize the Mission team for the remarkable progress we’ve made together.

This month, we reached an important milestone with the transition to a new system for medical records, Epic. Used by many major health systems, including UI Health Care, Epic enables our teams to securely share information, coordinate care more efficiently, and better connect you with the resources of Iowa’s only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

As a patient, you will benefit from an Epic tool called “MyChart.” MyChart gives you the ability to securely access your medical information, message providers, see test results, manage and check in for appointments, renew and request prescription refills, pay bills, and more.  We believe you will appreciate having this information about your care available at any time of the day or night, while your Mission care team remains just a phone call away. You can learn more and sign up for MyChart at uihc.org/get-know-mychart.

You may also notice a few changes when you visit our clinics. We are updating some of our processes, equipment, and even some of the ways our clinics are furnished, to align with the national accreditation standards that UI Health Care upholds, including those from the National Cancer Institute and The Joint Commission. These updates are part of our unwavering commitment to deliver world-class cancer care in the communities Mission has served for over 40 years. If you have questions about what’s changing, please don’t hesitate to ask.

As with any transition, there have been and will continue to be some temporary slowdowns. We know for instance that appointment and telephone wait times have been longer than usual, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we adjust to our new system. For over 40+ years, we have put patient access to our team as a top priority. We are working day and night to get back to that high level of easy access.

What has not changed—and will not change—is our unwavering commitment to providing you with high-quality cancer care close to home. The changes we’re making now will allow us to expand access to advanced treatments and clinical trials, while keeping your care near the people and places that matter to you most. Thank you for trusting us with your care.