A descriptive study of policy and system-level interventions to address cancer survivorship issues across six United States health systems.

PURPOSE: To describe policy and system-level interventions with potential to improve cancer care at six sites. METHODS: In 2016, six institutions received foundation support to develop unique multi-component interventions aimed at improving cancer care for underserved populations. These organizations, located across the United States, participated in a cross-site evaluation to assess the overall initiative impact and to identify potentially promising policy and system-level solutions for dissemination and broader implementation. A health system and policy tracking tool was developed to collect data from each site and included a description of their efforts, strategies employed, and changes achieved (e.g., new policies, clinical protocols). Tracking tool data were analyzed using rapid qualitative analyses and a matrix approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with site leaders (N = 65) and were analyzed by thematic analysis. RESULTS: Sites reported 20 system and policy efforts, which resulted in improvements to electronic health records and telehealth strategies, changes to hospital/health system policies, and standardized clinical protocols/guidelines, among others. Efforts were aimed at: (1) coordinating care across multiple providers, supported by patient navigators; (2) expanding psychosocial and supportive care; (3) improving patient-provider communication; and (4) addressing barriers to accessing care. Interview analyses provided insights into successful strategies, challenges, and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, cancer care remains inequitable. System-level improvements aimed at eliminating common barriers faced by underserved populations offer opportunities to improve the delivery of equitable, effective, and efficient care.

A Learning Health System Approach to Cancer Survivorship Care Among LGBTQ+ Communities.

PURPOSE: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals who receive primary care services at community health centers are often referred to external specialty care centers after cancer diagnosis, upon which primary care services are disrupted and may be discontinued because of gaps in communication between primary and oncologic care providers. This qualitative study evaluated barriers and facilitators to effective care coordination for LGBTQ+ patients with cancer and the utility of a novel cancer care coordination tool to mitigate identified barriers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semistructured interviews with LGBTQ+ cancer survivors, caregivers to LGBTQ+ persons, clinical team members who provide care to LGBTQ+ patients, and members of community-based organizations that work with LGBTQ+ patients were conducted. Interview analysis was a multistage process, wherein a constant comparison approach was used. Transcripts were reviewed and coded using Atlas.ti Cloud. RESULTS: A total of 26 individuals were interviewed: 10 patients, four caregivers, 10 clinical care team members, and two community organization representatives. Interview analysis yielded insight regarding (1) LGBTQ+ patient experiences engaging with primary and oncologic care at the clinic level and (2) perceptions of patient-provider and provider-provider communication and coordination. CONCLUSION: Interview findings indicate a need for further development of interventions aimed at improving care coordination, patient experience, and outcomes in the cancer care continuum for LGBTQ+ patients. Learning health systems, like the one studied, show great potential for contributing to the development of such interventions.

Addressing racial disparities in perinatal care for African American/Black individuals in the Chicago community health setting: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: There are persistent disparities in maternal and infant perinatal outcomes experienced by Black birthing persons compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) individuals in the US. The differences in outcomes arise from not only socioeconomic factors and individual health behaviors but also structural racism. Recent research is beginning to elucidate the benefits of patient navigation to support underserved minoritized individuals who experience this constellation of barriers to equitable care. Qualitative research that utilizes both the experiences of Black birthing individuals and the expert opinion of healthcare providers working with them can serve to guide a patient navigation intervention to further decrease disparities in perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We conducted 30 interviews between August and December 2020 with Black birthing individuals in the Chicago metropolitan area and healthcare providers who care for this population both in Chicago and across the nation to explore their experiences, perceptions of barriers to care and ways to decrease inequities. RESULTS: Clinical care team members acknowledged the presence of health disparities experienced by Black pregnant individuals compared with their NHW counterparts stemming from racism, discrimination, and lack of resources. Patients similarly reported personal experiences with these disparities and barriers to care. The successful methods used by clinical care teams to help decrease these differences in the past included patient education on important topics such as breastfeeding and the use of patient advocates. Effectively screening for social determinants of health by someone the patient trusts was also cited as important. Regarding perinatal care practices, clinical care team members described the importance of patient education needs and care team cultural competency. Patients' reported positive and negative experiences corroborated these findings, emphasizing the importance of trust, listening, education, access to care, support, and patient advocacy. Finally, the care team members and patients agreed that active trust-building can help the provider/patient relationship and ultimately improve outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: These qualitative research findings improve the understanding of barriers to care and will help guide development of an intervention to reduce the health disparities experienced by Black pregnant persons.

Implementing patient navigation programs: Considerations and lessons learned from the Alliance to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care.

BACKGROUND: Six multidisciplinary cancer centers were selected and funded by the Merck Foundation (2017-2021) to collaborate in the Alliance to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care ("Alliance"), an initiative to improve patient access, minimize health disparities, and enhance the quality of patient-centered cancer care. These sites share their insights on implementation and expansion of their patient navigation efforts. METHODS: Patient navigation represents an evidence-based health care intervention designed to enhance patient-centered care and care coordination. Investigators at 6 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers outline their approaches to reducing health care disparities and synthesize their efforts to ensure sustainability and successful transferability in the management of patients with cancer and their families in real-world health care settings. RESULTS: Insights are outlined within the context of patient navigation program effectiveness and supported by examples from Alliance cancer center sites: 1) understand the patient populations, particularly underserved and high-risk patients; 2) capitalize on the existing infrastructure and institutional commitment to support and sustain patient navigation; and 3) build capacity by mobilizing community support outside of the cancer center. CONCLUSIONS: This process-level article reflects the importance of collaboration and the usefulness of partnering with other cancer centers to share interdisciplinary insights while undergoing intervention development, implementation, and expansion. These collective insights may be useful to staff at other cancer centers that look to implement, enhance, or evaluate the effectiveness of their patient navigation interventions.

Racial and Ethnic Minority Pregnant Patients with Low-Income Experiences of Perinatal Care: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: The maternal mortality ratio for the United States (US) has consistently risen over recent decades. This mortality is especially pronounced within minority populations who experience a maternal mortality and morbidity rate that are much higher than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Qualitative data are critical in gaining true insight from minority pregnant and postpartum persons. Such data should serve as the basis for building interventions and programs that seek to eradicate perinatal inequities. This review examines the qualitative literature on racial and ethnic minority pregnant patients with low income and their experiences during perinatal care (PNC) to identify recurrent themes that can be addressed through targeted interventions. Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were searched for qualitative studies on racial and ethnic minority pregnant patients with low income and their experiences during PNC. Twenty-two articles were included for analysis. Thematic synthesis was performed to identify categories and recurring themes in each article. Results: Five major categories were identified as consistent experiences of pregnant patients with PNC clinicians: support, education, connection, communication, and trust. Of these, clinician support was the most consistently coded category. Eighteen of the 23 articles discussed tangible support patients had received from their clinicians, such as care coordination and referrals to support services. The second most coded category was education, which was represented in 16 articles. Education was mostly represented negatively as lack of adequate perinatal care education given during the perinatal period. Finally, the categories of connection, communication, and trust were represented by 18, 17, and 17 articles, respectively. Conclusions: These qualitative studies provided specific examples of what racial and ethnic minority pregnant patients with low income deemed positive and negative during the perinatal period and outline ways that these experiences can be improved. Future studies can take the experiences reported in this review to help inform interventions to improve patient experiences and health outcomes that minority persons face in the perinatal period.

The Complex Interplay of Communication and Trust in Healthcare Delivery.

Effective communication in clinician-patient relationships is an essential part of improving health outcomes. Ineffective communication in clinical settings leaves patients feeling undervalued and unheard. Breakdowns in communication can have particularly profound effects on minority or underserved populations, where health disparities already exist. Effective communication is critical for establishing trust, which allows individuals to feel they can share their concerns and questions. Distrust is a particularly important issue in maternal health, where current US rates of maternal mortality and morbidity are 3.1 times higher in Black and African American (AA) pregnant and birthing persons than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. To address the widespread issue of medical distrust and its connection with maternal health outcomes, the OPTIMIZE study is currently implementing an innovative intervention aimed at improving perinatal care for Black/AA pregnant persons. This intervention prompts clinician-patient conversations to enhance communication and repair trust, including a focus on patients' goals, concerns, social determinants of health, and safety. The implications of this intervention are broad, including the potential to improve trust and communication in other clinical specialties.

The Burden of Childhood Atopic Dermatitis in the Primary Care Setting: A Report from the Meta-LARC Consortium.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) encountered in US primary care practices and the frequency and type of skin care practices routinely used in children. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of AD in children 0 to 5 years attending primary care practices in the United States and to describe routine skin care practices used in this population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of children under the age of 5 attending primary care practices for any reason. SETTING: Ten primary care practices in 5 US states. RESULTS: Among 652 children attending primary care practices, the estimated prevalence of ever having AD was 24% (95% CI, 21-28) ranging from 15% among those under the age of 1 to 38% among those aged 4 to 5 years. The prevalence of comorbid asthma was higher among AD participants compared to those with no AD, namely, 12% and 4%, respectively (P < .001). Moisturizers with high water:oil ratios were most commonly used (ie, lotions) in the non-AD population, whereas moisturizers with low water:oil content (ie, ointments) were most common when AD was present. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found a large burden of AD in the primary care practice setting in the US. The majority of households reported skin care practices that may be detrimental to the skin barrier, such as frequent bathing and the routine use of moisturizers with high water: oil ratios. Clinical trials are needed to identify which skin care practices are optimal for reducing the significant burden of AD in the community.

Emergency department visits for nontraumatic dental problems: a mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVES: We documented emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental problems and identified strategies to reduce ED dental visits. METHODS: We used mixed methods to analyze claims in 2010 from a purposive sample of 25 Oregon hospitals and Oregon's All Payer All Claims data set and interviewed 51 ED dental visitors and stakeholders from 6 communities. RESULTS: Dental visits accounted for 2.5% of ED visits and represented the second-most-common discharge diagnosis in adults aged 20 to 39 years, were associated with being uninsured (odds ratio [OR] = 5.2 [reference: commercial insurance]; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8, 5.5) or having Medicaid insurance (OR = 4.0; 95% CI = 3.7, 4.2), resulted in opioid (56%) and antibiotic (56%) prescriptions, and generated $402 (95% CI = $396, $408) in hospital costs per visit. Interviews revealed health system, community, provider, and patient contributors to ED dental visits. Potential solutions provided by interviewees included Medicaid benefit expansion, care coordination, water fluoridation, and patient education. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department dental visits are a significant and costly public health problem for vulnerable individuals. Future efforts should focus on implementing multilevel interventions to reduce ED dental visits.

Exposing clinicians to exposure: a randomized controlled dissemination trial of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated three technology-based methods of training mental health providers in exposure therapy (ET) for anxiety disorders. Training methods were designed to address common barriers to the dissemination of ET, including limited access to training, negative clinician attitudes toward ET, and lack of support during and following training. METHOD: Clinicians naïve to ET (N=181, Mage=37.4, 71.3% female, 72.1% Caucasian) were randomly assigned to (a) an interactive, multimedia online training (OLT), (b) OLT plus a brief, computerized motivational enhancement intervention (OLT+ME), or (c) OLT+ME plus a Web-based learning community (OLT+ME+LC). Assessments were completed at baseline, posttraining, and 6 and 12weeks following training. Outcomes include satisfaction, knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes, self-reported clinical use, and observer-rated clinical proficiency. RESULTS: All three training methods led to large and comparable improvements in self-efficacy and clinical use of ET, indicating that OLT alone was sufficient for improving these outcomes. The addition of the ME intervention did not significantly improve outcomes in comparison to OLT alone. Supplementing the OLT with both the ME intervention and the LC significantly improved attitudes and clinical proficiency in comparison to OLT alone. The OLT+ME+LC condition was superior to both other conditions in increasing knowledge of ET. CONCLUSIONS: Multicomponent trainings that address multiple potential barriers to dissemination appear to be most effective in improving clinician outcomes. Technology-based training methods offer a satisfactory, effective, and scalable way to train mental health providers in evidence-based treatments such as ET.