Daytona Beach, FL - Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach was chosen as one of seven national testing sites for the Association of Community Cancer Centers’ (ACCC) project to improve care for lung cancer patients with Medicaid.
This year, The ACCC launched a three-phase initiative to develop an optimal care coordination model for Medicaid lung cancer patients. “The CDC reports that American adults who are uninsured or on Medicaid smoke at rates more than double those of adults with private health insurance or Medicare,” Dr. Johnny Bernard, Jr., radiation oncologist and chair of this initiative at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, says. “With this in mind, it is critical we improve the access and quality of lung cancer services across the nation to the Medicaid population, given the inherent risks of smoking.”
The first phase was focused on research and was conducted throughout 2017. The ACCC performed a literature review, did an environmental scan, and gathered extensive information on-site at five national cancer programs that served as development sites, including Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center. During the first phase, the ACCC used the research to develop a beta version of the care coordination model.
The model focuses on the 13 following areas of care for lung cancer patients:
1. Patient access to care
2. Prospective multidisciplinary case planning
3. Financial, transportation, and housing
4. Management of comorbid conditions
5. Care coordination
6. Treatment team integration
7. Electronic health records (EHR) and patient access to information
8. Survivorship care
9. Supportive care
10. Tobacco cessation
11. Clinical trials
12. Physician engagement
13. Quality measurement and improvement
The project is now in its second phase. where the ACCC prepares to test the care coordination model's beta version and choose seven national testing sites. Phase Two will end this September.
The following cancer programs conducted quality improvement initiatives in one or more of the 13 assessment areas (listed above) and were chosen to test the model:
- Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center - Daytona Beach, FL
- Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Cancer Care Program - Park Ridge
- Ascension Wheaton Franciscan Cancer Care - Milwaukee, WI
- Cowell Family Cancer Center (Munson Healthcare) - Traverse City, MI
- Genesis Cancer Care Center - Zanesville, OH
- Northwest Medical Specialties - Tacoma, WA
- Southern Ohio Medical Center - Portsmouth, OH
“This was a very competitive application process and we are so proud of our entire team for their dedication to advancing the care available to lung cancer patients on Medicaid,” Bernard says. “As one of the seven testing sites in the country, we’ve been awarded nearly $70,000 to launch a multidisciplinary lung care program, as well as a survivorship program. The selection committee felt that our projects were feasible, well thought-out, and will truly help address issues for our Medicaid patients who are fighting lung cancer.”
The third and final phase will test the model from October 2017 to September 2018. Those results will help further refine and modify the care coordination model to ensure that it is practical, easy to use for cancer programs.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
