Program Receives One of Five Nationwide Grants 07/15/2008
Patients participating in free cancer screenings
provided by the Cancer Program of Our Lady of the Lake and Mary Bird Perkins and
its partners will ultimately have additional help when an abnormality is found.
The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem, NY has awarded
a $105,000 grant to the Cancer Program to develop a Patient Navigation Program.
The Patient Navigation Program will enable the Cancer Program to take patient
follow up to the next level by providing a dedicated team member to assist
screening patients when an abnormality is found.
When an abnormality is found during a screening, a Patient Navigator will be
assigned to the particular patient. The Patient Navigator will be responsible
for making sure the patient understands the abnormality and will ensure the
patient receives timely follow up. This includes answering questions, reminding
patients of appointments, addressing barriers to care such as transportation,
and resolution of the abnormality.
The Cancer Program will operate a pilot Patient Navigation Program for breast
screening patients at the LSU Mid-City clinic and Leo Butler Community Center
through August 31, 2008. An evaluation of the pilot will be completed in
September 2008 and the formal Patient Navigation Program for all breast cancer
screening patients will begin in October 2008. Programs for prostate, skin and
colorectal screening participants will be in place by June 2009. Breast
screenings are available to the underserved through a partnership with Woman’s
Hospital.
“One of our main goals is to reduce disparities in cancer care. With grants
like this one and through our participation in the National Cancer Institute
Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) pilot, we can achieve this goal,” said
Renea A. Duffin, executive director, Mary Bird Perkins CARE Network. “By
providing Patient Navigators to our patients, we can ensure they receive timely
care when it’s needed the most. That level of care can save lives,” Duffin
continued.
“The Cancer Program of Our Lady of the Lake and Mary Bird Perkins is the most
comprehensive cancer program in its region,” said Dr. Harold P. Freeman,
principal investigator. “We are pleased to support the development of a patient
navigation program that will assist in promoting more timely diagnosis and
treatment and in addition, help to reduce disparities in cancer care.”
Grant funding provided by the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and
Prevention through the Pfizer Foundation will be used to support a full-time
patient navigator, a data tracking system and other miscellaneous costs
associated with the program. The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and
Prevention, led by President and Founder Dr. Freeman, was the only program in
the United States selected to receive one of 17 worldwide grants from the Pfizer
Foundation. From that award, the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and
Prevention was awarded five patient navigation grants. Dr. Freeman, world
renowned African-American oncologist, is noted for his work addressing cancer
disparities. He is an expert on cancer and poverty and cancer and health care
access and is a highly sought-after expert on cancer’s impact on minority
populations. For more information about Dr. Freeman, visit http://www.ralphlaurencenter.org/about_bios.asp.
