Collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program to Increase Receipt of Ovarian Cancer Care from a Gynecologic Oncologist.
Sun Hee RimAngela R MooreSherri L StewartPublished in: Journal of women's health (2002) (2022)
Background: Treatment by a gynecologic oncologist is an important part of ovarian cancer care; however, implementation strategies are needed to increase care by these specialists. We partnered with National Comprehensive Cancer Control Programs in Iowa, Michigan, and Rhode Island in a demonstration project to deepen the evidence base for promising strategies that would facilitate care for ovarian cancer by gynecologic oncologists. Methods: Five main implementation strategies (increase knowledge/awareness; improve models of care; improve payment structures; increase insurance coverage; enhance workforce) were identified in the literature and used to develop initiatives. Specific activities were chosen by state programs according to feasibility and needs. Results: Activities included: (1) qualitative interviews with patients to determine barriers to receipt of specialized care; (2) development of patient/provider educational materials; (3) creation of patient/provider checklists to facilitate appropriate referrals; (4) expansion of a toll-free patient navigation hotline for ovarian cancer patients; (5) training of the health care workforce. The programs developed resources (educational handouts, toolkits, 2 webinars, 2 podcasts); trained 167 medical and nursing students during 8 Survivors Teaching Students ® workshops; and conducted 3 provider education sessions reaching 362 providers in 45 states. Evaluations showed increases in providers' knowledge, awareness, abilities, and intentions to refer ovarian cancer patients to a gynecologic oncologist. Conclusion: The state program resources we discussed are available for other cancer control programs interested in initiating or expanding activities to improve access/referrals to gynecologic oncologists for ovarian cancer care. They serve as a valuable repository for public health professionals seeking to implement similar interventions.
Keyphrases
- quality improvement
- healthcare
- public health
- affordable care act
- papillary thyroid
- primary care
- palliative care
- case report
- endometrial cancer
- end stage renal disease
- systematic review
- nursing students
- health insurance
- newly diagnosed
- mental health
- chronic kidney disease
- young adults
- pain management
- childhood cancer
- peritoneal dialysis
- ejection fraction
- mass spectrometry
- health information
- high resolution
- squamous cell carcinoma
- advanced cancer
- body composition
- patient reported outcomes