ACCCBUZZ BLOG

To explore the current state of psychosocial care in oncology, ACCC, with its partners, AOSW and APOS, with support from BeiGene—held a multistakeholder meeting, ACCC’s Call to Action: Delivery of Psychosocial Care in Oncology Summit.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the cancer screening rate. While telemedicine has facilitated care delivery, there is a need for programs aimed at promoting screening. This understanding prompted Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids, Hall-Perrine Cancer Center in Iowa to launch a initiative that has excelled in increasing their colorectal screening rates, and facilitated the provision of high-quality care in the community.

As in other areas of the country, COVID-19 surges during the past two years have led to the cancellation, postponement, or downsizing of planned community outreach and screening events at Munson Healthcare in Michigan. Oncologists at Munson think it’s likely that northern Michigan will see an increase in late-stage cancer cases as a result.

Cancer screenings may have decreased since the pandemic, but the need for them hasn't. “You can continue to do the work you’re doing; we just need to be mindful, says Nora Katurakes, RN, MSN, OCN. We can’t just stop living. … We’re going to have to learn how to live with COVID-19 in our community.”

In 2020, medical experts warned that COVID-19 could, over time, have a substantial impact on cancer outcomes due to delayed or missed cancer screenings for patients. To obtain a better perspective of how cancer programs’ screening and outreach education efforts are recovering from pandemic pressures, ACCCBuzz spoke to four cancer programs across the country.

To obtain an on-the-ground perspective of how cancer programs’ screening and outreach education efforts are reacting to pandemic pressures, ACCCBuzz spoke to four cancer programs across the country that will be featured in four separate blog posts in January 2022. For the first blog in the series, we spoke to Renea Duffin, MPA, vice president of cancer support and outreach at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, an ACCC member organization located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.