Patient Assistance Boosts Attendance at Cancer Screenings

Attending and understanding the importance of regular cancer screenings is not a given for much of the U.S. population. Ethnic minority and low-income patients often face language barriers and other road blocks that put them at risk for missing important screenings and tests. Because of these challenges, there is a huge health disparity amongst lower income families in America. One hospital is looking for creative ways to address this issue, and may have found it with a new program that reaches out to these communities in a positive and helpful way.

At the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)Center for Community Health Improvement, they have found that assigning ‘patient navigators, ‘or professionals who assist patients in receiving the health care they need, improves cancer screening rates by a significant percentage. When more patients begin to attend their screenings, more of the population gains access to the treatment they need.

In MGH’s recent study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, 1,600 patients who were overdue for cancer screenings were assessed from 18 different primary care facilities in Massachusetts. Many of them did not speak English and had missed several check-up appointments in the past, putting them at risk for possible health problems.

800 of the patients were appointed a patient navigator who communicated with them in their native language. The navigators set up times to encourage and educate them about the importance of the screening. They even assisted with difficult issues preventing the patients from attending the screening, helped set up transportation to and from the appointments and attended the doctor visits with them.

Of the patients who had the help of a patient navigator, 32% attended one or more belated cancer screening. Only 18% of the patients who did not have a patient navigator attended at least one overdue screening. The rates of people attending screenings still seems low, but this is a significant start.

Dr. Sanja Percac-Lima, the lead physician and author of the study, believes that the patient navigators help bridge an insurmountable gap between these patients and their doctors and caregiving facilities. Ultimately, the assistance in communication and education improves the quality of health care that an at-risk, low-income patient receives. It makes appointments and screenings more attainable and attractive.

There are health disparities in lower income and non-English speaking communities, and with positive effort and patient assistance tactics, we can address these issues head on.