The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has created a new task force aimed at reducing disparities and improving outcomes for patients and survivors of cancer who live in rural communities.
Patients living in rural areas are often diagnosed with more advanced cancer and have recently been shown to have higher mortality. Persistent issues with access to screening and treatment, as well as higher rates of behavioral risk factors, may be key contributors to this disparity. Transportation and insurance coverage issues exacerbate barriers to obtaining high-quality cancer care.
The Rural Cancer Care Task Force will identify opportunities to close the rural cancer care gap and implement strategies to improve rural cancer care in the United States. "We've made notable progress in improving outcomes for many people with cancer, but too many individuals, especially in rural communities, are left behind," said ASCO CEO Clifford Hudis, M.D., in a prepared statement. "With this new initiative, ASCO will identify ways to build upon existing efforts while also trying new approaches aimed at improving access to cancer care for patients no matter where they live."
Last fall, a task force comprised of ASCO Board and committee members was charged with developing a needs assessment and proposed strategy for how ASCO can better address the needs of cancer care patients and providers in rural settings. The group analyzed the factors contributing to rural cancer care disparities, and reviewed efforts (past and present) to improve access to high-quality care in rural areas. Ultimately, the group identified several areas where ASCO could better support rural oncology providers and the patients they serve:
- Provider education and training --- Equip all members of the cancer care team (including oncologists, primary care providers, advanced practice providers, and other non-oncology specialists) with specialized training and support so that they are prepared to care for patients throughout their cancer journey from active cancer treatment through survivorship and end of life care.
- Workforce --- Improve understanding of the unique needs of the rural cancer care workforce, and identify and promote opportunities to expand access for people in rural communities to cancer care services.
- Tele-oncology --- Address broadband access, reimbursement policies, and other solutions that would allow patients in rural areas remote access to cancer care.
- Research --- Develop research to better understand the magnitude of differences in outcomes in rural and non-rural settings, and enable patients living in rural areas to access clinical trials more easily.
ASCO's Rural Cancer Care Task Force will focus on identifying actionable approaches to tackle these key areas to improve access to high-quality care. The task force, which will begin its work this summer, will be composed of a multidisciplinary group of clinicians and other experts in the area of rural cancer care.
Dr. Hudis announced the new task force during ASCO's State of Cancer Care in America Event: Closing the Rural Cancer Care Gap, which brought together leading physicians, thought leaders, and other rural cancer care experts for a discussion on the challenges facing patients with cancer in rural areas, as well as some of the solutions that are helping to address this gap in cancer care. ASCO is planning to develop a paper summarizing some of the insights from tthe panel discussion, along with new research findings related to cancer care in the rural United States. The paper will be submitted for publication as part of ASCO's State of Cancer Care in America series in the Journal of Oncology Practice in late 2019 or early 2020.
