How Shenandoah Oncology modernized patient engagement and reduced administrative burden.

Shenandoah Oncology is a community-rooted oncology and hematology practice that has served its region for decades. With a patient population spanning complex cancer diagnoses and benign hematologic conditions, the practice sees patients across a wide age range — and like many oncology practices, a significant portion are older adults who require a careful, personal approach to care.

When the team began exploring ways to modernize, the goal was straightforward: get away from paper, reduce the manual burden on front desk staff, and create a smoother experience for patients without losing the warmth the practice is known for. We sat down with Tiffany Lane, Revenue Cycle Supervisor, to hear how they did it.

01 — Why Qure4uMoving from paper to present day

Before Qure4u, Shenandoah Oncology relied heavily on paper-based processes. New patient paperwork was completed in the waiting room, scanned manually, and attached to patient charts. Staff spent valuable time managing paperwork instead of focusing on patients.

The practice wasn't simply looking for another software vendor. They needed a partner that could help them modernize patient access while working within their existing athenaIDX environment. "Being able to integrate with athenaIDX and cut down on manual clicks for our front-desk staff really intrigued us."

Qure4u's seamless integration with athenaIDX, combined with a patient-first approach to digital engagement, immediately stood out. Just as importantly, the Shenandoah team saw a partner willing to invest time in understanding their workflow and long-term goals. "We got on a demo and really liked the way it felt. It was very positive for us right from the start."

02 — No more clipboardsPatients complete every task before they walk in the door

Shenandoah's first priority was reducing the manual burden placed on front-desk staff.

Today, nearly 75% of patients complete digital check-in before arriving for their appointment, helping Shenandoah see more patients without needing to add front desk staff. By shifting paperwork completion outside the office, staff spend less time managing forms and more time helping patients navigate their care journey.

The practice has saved more than $42,000 in staff time through digital check-in alone in the three months since go-live.

Shenandoah needed a way to support older patients who were not tech-savvy, and Qure4u's flexible workflow allowed staff to support those patients wherever they were in their digital journey. Patients who need assistance can complete forms on iPads in the office while staff provide guidance when necessary.

Rather than forcing patients into a rigid process, Qure4u enabled Shenandoah to deliver a digital experience that still feels personal while driving operational efficiency.

03 — Secure TextingA reliable new line of contact for patients and staff

For oncology practices, reaching patients isn't simply a convenience — it's critical to care delivery.

Before implementing Qure4u, staff frequently encountered patients with full voicemail boxes or missed calls. Communication delays created additional work and sometimes delayed important information from reaching patients.

Secure Texting gave Shenandoah a new, highly effective communication channel. "A lot of times you'll have patients whose voicemail box is full and we don't have the ability to leave a message. Now we have an option that we can text them. That has definitely bridged the gap in communication with patients."

04 — Patient satisfactionA 5.0 average across nearly 1,800 surveys

Technology should never come at the expense of the patient experience. At Shenandoah Oncology, it has strengthened it. The practice now has a 5.0-star average across nearly 1,800 patient surveys.

While the organization credits its deep community roots and patient-first culture for that success, Qure4u has helped support a smoother, more connected patient journey from appointment scheduling through follow-up communication. "It's kind of like a white glove treatment. We walk them through everything. We explain everything. There's laughter, patience, and understanding." Qure4u helps make that experience scalable.

05 — PartnershipSolving a real problem for a complex patient population

One of the biggest differentiators for Shenandoah Oncology wasn't just the technology — it was the partnership.

Shortly after implementation, the practice identified a unique challenge common to oncology workflows. Because 90 to 95 percent of visits involve multiple resources like labs, office visits, and sometimes infusions, patients were receiving separate reminders for each one. "If we're scheduling in four different departments, they were getting four different reminder texts and four different reminder emails," Tiffany recalled.

Some patients arrived at the wrong time entirely, reading the last message instead of the first. "They just look at the last message they got. 'Oh, I need to be there at 2:00.' Well, no, you should have been here at 1:30 because your labs were first."

Qure4u quickly developed a consolidated notification solution that lets patients receive a single appointment reminder containing all of their appointments for the day — eliminating confusion caused by multiple messages.

"Consolidating that so quickly has completely changed the experience for our patients. We don't get the complaints we had previously. We haven't had the confusion of people arriving at the wrong time." It's a change that has since benefited oncology practices across the Qure4u network.

06 — The resultsWhat changed across the practice

In its first months on Qure4u, Shenandoah modernized intake, opened a dependable new communication channel, and protected the personal experience its patients value.

07 — The futureWhat comes next

As Shenandoah Oncology continues its digital transformation, the team plans to expand Secure Texting adoption and revisit Qure4u's ReBook capabilities to further streamline appointment management. For practices considering Qure4u, their recommendation is simple: "I would tell them they definitely should look into it. It was a very smooth transition. The training was great."

They also emphasize the value of working closely with the Qure4u team. "Courtney, our designated Customer Success Manager, came on site, watched our workflow, and changed tons of things that set us up for better success."

As oncology organizations face increasing staffing challenges, growing patient expectations, and pressure to do more with less, Shenandoah's experience demonstrates what's possible with the right technology partner that understands the complexity of oncology care. With Qure4u, oncology practices can spend less time managing processes — and more time caring for patients.