NIH https://www.nih.gov has awarded a $3.5 million grant to Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey https://www.cinj.org along with the Holden Cancer Center at the University of Iowa, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to address lung cancer screening disparities.
The researchers will assess the effectiveness of a decision support intervention called “TELEhealth Shared decision-making COaching and navigation for lung cancer screening in Primary care” (TELESCOPE).
TELESCOPE which will run for five years, will be the focus of a randomized clinical trial to be opened at 40 primary care practices within the Combined Medical Group of RWJBarnabas Health and in collaboration with the Rutgers Cancer Institute.
Early detection of lung cancer through low-dose CT scans have proven to be an effective way to reduce mortality and improve outcomes. However, not all individuals have access to quality cancer screenings which can create significant disparities in cancer outcomes.
Through TELESCOPE, the team will evaluate whether telemedicine decision coaching and patient navigation as compared to enhanced usual care will increase initial screening uptake, and will the study improve the quality of lung cancer screen decision-making.
The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance to rural healthcare networks engaging in workforce training activities who are addressing the critical need for more trained health professionals, which has been amplified by COVID-19.