Aamna Akhtar1, Ernesto Sosa2, Samuel Castro1, Melissa Sur2, Vanessa Lozano2, Gail D'Souza1, Sophia Yeung3, Jonjon Macalintal3, Meghna Patel1, Xiaoke Zou2, Pei-Chi Wu4, Ellen Silver5, Jossie Sandoval6, Stacy W Gray7, Karen L Reckamp8, Jae Y Kim1, Virginia Sun2, Dan J Raz1, Loretta Erhunmwunsee9. 1. Department of Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA. 2. Department of Populations Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA. 3. Department of Nursing, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA. 4. Herald Christian Health Center, Rosemead, CA. 5. ParkTree Community Health Center, Pomona, CA. 6. Department of Medicine, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA. 7. Department of Populations Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA; Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA. 8. Department of Medical Oncology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. 9. Department of Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA; Department of Populations Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA. Electronic address: LorettaE@coh.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve minority and low-socioeconomic populations and provide care to high-risk smokers. These centers frequently experience barriers, including low provider and medical assistant (MA) knowledge around lung cancer screening (LCS). Subsequent low LCS referral rates by providers at FQHCs limit utilization of LCS in eligible, high-risk, underserved patients. METHODS: Providers and MAs from two FQHCs participated in a LCS educational session. A pre-educational survey was administered at the start of the session and a post-educational survey at the end. The intervention included a presentation with education around non-small cell lung cancer, LCS, tobacco cessation, and shared-decision making. Both surveys were used to evaluate changes in provider and MA ability to determine eligible patients for LCS. The Pearson's Chi-squared test with Yates' continuity correction was used to measure the impact. RESULTS: A total of 29 providers and 28 MAs enrolled in the study from two FQHCs. There was an improvement, P < .009 and P < .015 respectively, in provider and MA confidence in identifying patients for LCS. Additionally, one year prior to the program, 9 low-dose computed tomography (LDCTs) were ordered at one of the FQHCs and 0 at the other. After the program, over 100 LDCTs were ordered at each FQHC. CONCLUSIONS: A targeted LCS educational program improves provider and MAs' ability to identify eligible LCS patients and is associated with an increase in the number of patients referred to LDCT at FQHCs.
BACKGROUND: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve minority and low-socioeconomic populations and provide care to high-risk smokers. These centers frequently experience barriers, including low provider and medical assistant (MA) knowledge around lung cancer screening (LCS). Subsequent low LCS referral rates by providers at FQHCs limit utilization of LCS in eligible, high-risk, underserved patients. METHODS: Providers and MAs from two FQHCs participated in a LCS educational session. A pre-educational survey was administered at the start of the session and a post-educational survey at the end. The intervention included a presentation with education around non-small cell lung cancer, LCS, tobacco cessation, and shared-decision making. Both surveys were used to evaluate changes in provider and MA ability to determine eligible patients for LCS. The Pearson's Chi-squared test with Yates' continuity correction was used to measure the impact. RESULTS: A total of 29 providers and 28 MAs enrolled in the study from two FQHCs. There was an improvement, P < .009 and P < .015 respectively, in provider and MA confidence in identifying patients for LCS. Additionally, one year prior to the program, 9 low-dose computed tomography (LDCTs) were ordered at one of the FQHCs and 0 at the other. After the program, over 100 LDCTs were ordered at each FQHC. CONCLUSIONS: A targeted LCS educational program improves provider and MAs' ability to identify eligible LCS patients and is associated with an increase in the number of patients referred to LDCT at FQHCs.
Authors: Jennifer Leng; Shu Fang Lei; Lei Lei; Jeralyn Cortez; John Capua; Florence Lui; Francesca Gany Journal: J Cancer Educ Date: 2022-06 Impact factor: 1.771