HHS putting $5 million toward cancer screening access
The partnerships are a component of Biden's Cancer Moonshot goals, which aim to close the cancer screening gap.
Photo: Xavierarnau/Getty Images
The Biden administration is putting $5 million toward community health centers in an effort to increase access to cancer screenings and early detection services for underserved populations. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, will distribute the funds to HRSA-funded community health centers.
The partnerships are intended to bring health centers together with National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers and are a component of Biden's Cancer Moonshot goals, which aim to close the cancer screening gap, decrease the impact of preventable cancers, and support patients and caregivers.
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, with nearly 600,000 deaths annually. Significant disparities continue to exist in screening and follow-up care after an abnormal cancer screening test result, based on an individual's income, insurance status, and race or ethnicity, said HHS. These cancers can be prevented or detected early through appropriate screening and timely follow-up care.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
The awards focus on increasing equitable access to cancer screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. Health centers will conduct patient outreach in underserved communities to promote early detection of cancer, connect patients to screening services, and provide hands-on assistance with accessing cancer care and treatment as needed.
The health centers receiving Accelerating Cancer Screening awards must work with NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, which will deploy their outreach specialists and patient navigators in the health center's service area. Examples of activities include care coordination; patient engagement and activation; enhancing virtual care capabilities; tracking patient screening, referrals and follow-up; enhancing health IT workflows; and workforce engagement, training and recruitment.
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are characterized by scientific excellence and the capability to integrate a diversity of research approaches to focus on the problem of cancer, said HHS.
"This partnership between NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and HRSA's health centers will bring to bear the significant expertise of the cancer centers in engaging the communities they serve and will help provide underserved and rural patients access to follow-up care, including screening and cutting-edge clinical trials," said NCI Acting Director Dr. Doug Lowy.
THE LARGER TREND
President Biden has reignited the Cancer Moonshot and set new national goals, including cutting the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years.
Earlier this year, HHS announced first-year funding awards of $215 million in a five-year, $1.1 billion investment into three national programs to prevent and control cancer.
In May, HHS announced the availability of $5 million for community health centers, funded by the HRSA, to increase equitable access to cancer screenings.
ON THE RECORD
"Tools to fight and prevent cancer should be in reach for everyone, but, too often, that's not the case," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said. "With so many people having missed preventive care visits and cancer screenings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we must expand access to life-saving care. Today's action takes us a step closer to that goal. With this move, health centers can work to close disparity gaps, delivering critical services to underserved communities in need."
Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com
