The NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP): A model for reducing cancer health care disparities.

Abstract

6086 Background: In 2007, NCI launched the NCCCP, a public-private partnership with 16 community hospital cancer centers in 14 states, to explore methods to improve patient access to advanced cancer care in the community. With 40% of its NCI funding directed to reduce disparities across the cancer continuum, the NCCCP aims to: 1) Enhance access to care; 2) Improve quality of care; and 3) Increase clinical trials accrual. This approach supports priorities in the 2009 ASCO Policy Statement: Disparities in Cancer Care. Methods: A disparities workplan was developed to support the three aims. NCI and the sites worked as a learning collaborative to develop strategies and metrics for: race and ethnicity data tracking; near real-time reporting of adherence to Commission on Cancer (CoC) treatment quality measures; community outreach and patient navigation to increase cancer screening; and improved clinical trial underserved accrual. The tools and resources supporting these efforts will be discussed. ( http://ncccp.cancer.gov/About/Progress.htm ). Results: Evaluation of the 3 year pilot shows improvement for underserved populations: Concordance with CoC treatment quality measures for radiation therapy for breast conserving surgery among Medicaid patients improved from 59.5 percent to 84.8 percent (p<.05). Increased community screening events (from 992 to 1,585) and community partnerships focused on underserved populations (from 78 to 195). Increased accrual to NCI trials (minority accrual from 82 to 151 and elderly from 200 to 641). Conclusions: To be effective in reducing healthcare disparities, a multi-level approach is needed. This includes having: organizations which demonstrate a strong community-oriented mission; commitment by hospital management; engagement of private practice physicians; targeted training of staff; use of standardized data collection and metrics; involvement of strategic partners with aligned goals at the national and local level; support by relevant NCI experts; and sharing best practices across a learning collaborative. The NCCCP disparities model was used in a variety of community settings targeting different underserved populations and has demonstrated effect in care in the respective communities.