New Tool for Patients with Cancer

The American Cancer Society has just unveiled its Circle of Sharing social Web application, designed to help patients with cancer and their families and friends to better coordinate support and care information as they navigate cancer treatment. The application is built using Microsoft Health Vault, a platform that allows individuals to have control of their personal health information in a secure environment.

Through Circle of Sharing, patients can organize and access critical details about their diagnosis, medications, treatments, and side effects, and because the information is housed in one secure location, it is easier for patients to keep track of this information and share it with their healthcare providers. As patients record the details of their health into the system, Circle of Sharing will send them articles relevant to their situation, preventing misinformation and ensuring patients remain up to date on the latest developments regarding their disease. Patients can then elect to share this information with members of their circle to help them better understand the journey that lies ahead. Patients and their loved ones can also send messages to one another, further facilitating care and support. For more information about this service, visit www.cancer.org/circleofsharing.