Engaging Patients & Assisting PCPs in Lung Cancer Screening
The PIH Health Lung Cancer Screening Program improves the quality and timeliness of lung cancer care, as well as communication among the multidisciplinary treatment team. This nurse practitioner-run program utilizes an enrollment method—primary care practitioners (PCPs) can refer or patients can self-refer. The program schedules screenings, provides shared decision-making counseling and manages ongoing follow-up—relieving pressure on busy primary care providers. With reallocation of current support resources and minimal investment, this cancer program achieved ROI in the form of increased procedures and referrals, and is on its way to realizing a long-term goal of seeing a decrease in diagnosis of late-stage lung cancer for a high-risk patient population. The program also empowers patients to be advocates for their own health by being involved in screening, follow-up, and smoking cessation.