Eduardo Sotomayor, MD, PhD, is vice president and executive director of Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital’s Cancer Institute, where he is leading efforts to build a hybrid academic-community cancer model and pursue a National Cancer Institute designation.
He recently spoke with Becker’s about how technology infrastructure, data analytics and AI-fueled innovation are shaping the institute’s growth strategy and approach to expanding cancer care across Florida.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What do you see as TGH Cancer Institute’s defining strengths?
Dr. Eduardo Sotomayor: I think what is defining us is how we use technology, AI and innovation. We’re always looking for what is next. We are able to scale up because we have our Care Coordination Command Center, previously called CareComm. It was a huge investment that John Couris made in 2017, a huge investment that is paying off.
Before, we had the patient journey from admission to the emergency department, to treatment, to discharge. It was always retrospective data. With [our command center], you can see where to move patients, but you can also start monitoring patients in the ICU and improve early detection of potential complications.
So when I came here in 2021, the idea was, “Can we use this platform to improve the cancer patient journey? Can we use this platform to have real-time monitoring of patients at home or close to home? Can we use this system to do clinical trials close to home?” The concept was there. Now we are taking it to the next level.
It’s the technology I am very excited about, as you can see. To me, that is a big difference [at Tampa General Hospital].
Q: What’s the one conversation about cancer care you think the industry isn’t having loudly enough right now?
ES: Why, as an industry, are we behind everybody else in adapting innovation and technology? What are the barriers [contributing to our industry being] the last in adopting technologies? Is it because of us? Because of the system? Because of state regulation? Because of government regulations?
I’m not looking to blame anyone. Let’s just go and see why we are late to the party and then learn from that. We were invited late to the party, now we are going to run the party.
Innovation, technology, AI, everything that is coming; we need to be at the forefront.
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