vice president of clinical innovation at Mercy Technology Services and Medical Director of Multi-Cancer Early Detection at Mercy Precision Medicine

In an interview with Dr. Damon Broyles, MD, FAAFP, vice president of clinical innovation at Mercy Technology Services and medical director of Multi-Cancer Early Detection at Mercy Precision Medicine, shares his insights on the journey of implementing precision medicine and on embracing new technologies in the evolving healthcare industry.

What does a typical day look like for you at Mercy?

I joined Mercy Technology Services as the vice president of clinical innovation. In this informatics-focused role, my primary responsibility is to optimize and enhance our electronic health record and clinical software. I strive to improve the experience for our clinical staff, enhance decision support capabilities, and identify opportunities for process and technology innovation that align with Mercy's mission.

Recently, we established the Mercy Precision Medicine division, and I was appointed as the medical director for Multi Cancer Early Detection (MCED). Here, we leverage precision medicine and genomics technologies within Mercy and with my background in family medicine and clinical informatics, I bring expertise in implementing informatics-heavy and technology-enabled solutions for our central precision medicine services.

What are some challenges you have encountered in the industry?

One challenge we faced in launching our initial service lines, like MCED, was the daunting nature of these new technologies for our frontline physicians. The rapid advancements in next-generation genetic sequencing, machine learning algorithms, and computational models have proved to be overwhelming for clinicians accustomed to linear increases in medical research.

Our goal is to bridge the gap between accumulating knowledge and translating it into clinical practice. We must ensure that clinicians have access to and understand these new technologies. However, the system aspects of implementing MCED on an organizational scale pose another significant challenge. With thousands of providers across multiple states, conducting individual systemization conversations would be inefficient and burdensome for our already busy frontline primary care and specialist physicians.

To address these challenges, we adopted a centralized approach. By arranging networks of subspecialists and oncologists across different regions, we alleviate the burden on providers. This centralized service model democratizes access to precision medicine technologies, regardless of geographical location. Whether patients are in rural areas or near advanced care centers, they can benefit from the same innovative technology through our curated, high-touch, and proactive process.

This approach ensures a consistent and personalized experience for all patients, regardless of their location. We are particularly excited about the potential of applying this approach to various technologies, such as somatic and germline mutation analysis at scale and pharmacogenomics. 

By adopting a central team approach, we can accelerate the integration of technology into clinical practices more effectively than traditional one-on-one visits, thereby facilitating widespread adoption.

What are some of the process elements that you have leveraged to make the MCED project successful?

Our focus on precision medicine and the implementation of MCED exemplify our commitment to digital transformation. Our Office of Transformation, which encompasses technology services, clinical informatics, nursing, and more, collaborates closely with patient experience, data analytics, marketing, and software development teams to accelerate our digital clinical initiatives.

The realization of MCED required two entry routes. We established a provider referral system while simultaneously launching a comprehensive patient socialization campaign. Through extensive online presence and activities, we introduced the test to both our internal and external community of physicians.

To ensure a seamless patient experience, we integrated our clinical operating systems, including our EHR, with our front-facing mercy.net and patient portal. This involved bridging gaps through custom development and synchronization, orchestrating a streamlined journey for patients. Process mapping and experience design were crucial in defining the necessary activities and optimizing the patient’s experience.

Our solutioning group, part of the Office of Transformation, analyzed the process mapping and experience design outputs. They determined the use of existing CRM solutions, development of Epic tool sets, and establishment of metrics for tracking.  Working closely with our Epic SMEs, they engaged in deep collaboration to ensure seamless workflow and architected critical situational awareness of the process for the entire care team.  The intelligent data layer aggregated data from various enterprise systems, feeding into our business intelligence platform for monitoring patient intake and other essential business metrics.

This technology enablement process was a comprehensive, multi-domain endeavor, drawing on the expertise and talents of various subject matter experts across the Mercy organization.

What is your advice to your peers in the industry?

Organizational curiosity in the rapidly evolving fields of molecular diagnostics, drug development, genomics, and precision medicine is essential for future medical practice. We must efficiently introduce new technologies to providers, addressing their questions and concerns about the science, deployment, and logistics involved.

Embracing these advancements will revolutionize our approach to chronic diseases like cancer, transforming them into manageable conditions. By harmonizing these innovations with existing care practices, we can deliver comprehensive and high-quality healthcare. This proactive adaptation ensures that we stay at the forefront of medical progress and meet patients' evolving expectations.