Abstract PO3-28-03: Mitigating Financial Toxicity Through Individualized Education

Abstract

Abstract Background Triage Cancer® offers a free Legal & Financial Navigation Program (LFN) that supports individuals coping with cancer, their caregivers, and health care providers as they navigate the legal and practical matters that arise after a diagnosis. Without access to the proper resources, individuals impacted by cancer may suffer the financial burden of a diagnosis – or financial toxicity, as coined by researchers at Duke. Financial toxicity has proven to have a negative impact on quality of life and mental and physical health of individuals coping with cancer. The LFN provides individuals impacted by a diagnosis with the accurate information and resources needed to help mitigate financial toxicity. The LFN addresses the gap in education around cancer-related legal issues to improve the overall health of individuals coping with cancer. This tailored education is particularly important for providers, as there is a significant lack of training around cancer-related legal issues. Consequently, health care providers are often not equipped to answer their patient’s complex questions about cancer-related legal issues, including health insurance, disability insurance, and employment. The LFN provides personalized education on relevant laws and actionable steps to navigate the situation, which improves the provider’s ability to support their patients and the patients’ ability to self-advocate. Methods To start the process, individuals complete a brief intake form online and schedule a call with the staff. During the call, the staff provides education around relevant laws and practical options to manage the situation. The efficacy of the program is measured through voluntary survey response. Callers receive a follow-up email with a one question survey within a day of the initial call. After three weeks, the caller also receives a detailed survey. Results In 2022, Triage Cancer® provided direct consultation to 1,289 callers; 384 with breast cancer. For those callers, the most common topics included: employment, disability insurance, and health insurance. Survey data indicates that after speaking with staff, 93% felt better prepared with regard to their options and 94% agreed that they had actionable next steps. Conclusion The LFN provides tailored education around cancer-related legal issues in order to improve the quality of life of individuals coping with cancer. The LFN provides accurate information on relevant laws and actionable steps to help individuals make informed decisions to mitigate financial toxicity. Citation Format: Joanna Doran, Monica Bryant. Mitigating Financial Toxicity Through Individualized Education [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-28-03.