Many of IBM’s U.S. employees will soon be able to access extra advice for oncology diagnoses and treatments through a new employee benefit.
IBM has paired its supercomputer Watson with the medical information services company Best Doctors to provide the benefit. Normally, Best Doctors gathers a patient’s medical records and lab results, and has top specialists examine the case, whether or not it’s a form of cancer. The physicians then offer recommendations to improve treatments, other treatments to consider and other possible diagnoses, and it’s up to the patient and their doctor to determine the next steps.
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Watson for Oncology gives Best Doctors additional evidence-based treatment recommendations the specialists may not have considered. IBM also offers Watson for Genomics, which analyzes genetic material from a patient’s tumor to gain insights on any mutations, and Watson for Clinical Trial Matching, which flags any trials the patient may be eligible for.
“It’s really difficult for any oncologist anywhere to know all of the options that might be available,” says Barbara Brickmeier, vice-president of employee benefits at IBM. “Watson has a very big knowledge base … So if you have a cancer that’s suitable for a clinical trial, that will be pointed out to you and assistance will be given to you to apply, to be a participant in that clinical treatment.”
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The costs are built into the benefits packages, Brickmeier adds. Watson for Genomics services include laboratory analysis, which the plan also covers as a lab expense.
Brickmeier admits adding the Watson services does cost the plan more. “But on the flip side,” she says, “studies have shown that when you have higher quality treatments and outcomes, your costs get in alignment because you’re not spending money on things that have not been proven to work.”
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Employees’ reactions have been “overwhelmingly positive and emotional,” Brickmeier says, adding many have voiced their pride in working for IBM. “Everyone knows somebody who’s been affected by this horrible disease and in some cases, it’s the employee themselves… It’s very heartfelt, the comments and the excitement.”
The benefit becomes available on Jan. 1, 2017. Watson for Oncology and Watson for Clinical Trials will be available for breast, lung, colorectal and gastric cancers, while Watson for Genomics will be available for all cancer types, typically in stages III and IV.
Updated at 3:55 pm on October 27 to clarify the types of cancer the benefit will cover.