In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Dr. Rai emphasizes the importance of community outreach and support for patients with cancer, highlighting the need for holistic care that addresses both physiological and psychological aspects of treatment while reinforcing the value of strong relationships between primary care physicians and specialists. 

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Importance of Outreach Initiatives

 OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care

, Anirudh Rai, MD, of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, emphasizes the importance of community outreach and support for patients with cancer, highlighting the need for holistic care that addresses both physiological and psychological aspects of treatment while reinforcing the value of strong relationships between primary care physicians and specialists.

The fact is, we in the primary care setting can suspect cancer, but it’s ultimately the specialists who would do the biopsy and diagnose it. Ultimately, coming back to the primary care setting, it is something that we see—as soon as that diagnosis is made, there is this sort of sobering effect going throughout the patient’s life honestly. It is a diagnosis that no one wishes to have, and it is a reality. Ultimately, it is our job as doctors to not only treat the disease per se but [also treat] the patients physiologically and psychologically, as well, as you mentioned. These resources are vital. I think having that sort of aspect, where you have the community involved, reaching out to the community, shows a lot of effort, honestly—especially when it comes to these kinds of diagnoses and especially when the patient has had a known diagnosis of cancer. Having that survivorship program is encouraging to the patients, for sure. I know some of my patients have mentioned that it is encouraging to know that someone has beaten this, and some people have survived.

But looking at the other end, it’s important to also understand that ultimately, the death rate in this world is one per person. So, it is something that we always try to keep in the back of our minds. Even in our training, we always know that it’s something that is there, and ultimately, talking to the patient about this as a human being is vital; [it’s] going down and honestly saying, “Hey, you’re going through this. Let’s see what we could help out.” It’s not the fact that we ever abandoned them, especially when it comes to palliative [care] and hospice, it’s the fact that we’re helping them to achieve their quality of life despite this diagnosis. Having those outreach programs to let patients know we’re still there helping them out, that we’re still out here treating them, that’s important. [This is especially [true] when they’re primary care setting, we see a lot of that; the patients seem to have lost hope, but we always tell our patients that they’re in good hands when they see their specialist and having that community is important. Me, as a physician, I like to work with the specialist’s my patients go to, and having that one-on-one conversation gives the patient some comfort, as well. So, the link between that and academic is something that I believe you’re more aware of, for sure, but at the same time, I do like the fact that we’re incorporating a lot of these new technologies into [the process]. Implementing [some of them] into the community takes a lot of effort.

I really do appreciate the outreach programs you do have going, Dr Woodward; [they are] encouraging. It gives me more information and lets the patients know, from their standpoint, that there is newer stuff coming out, and that there’s always hope going forward. These kinds of partnerships are ultimately the best way to keep a community intact, to keep a community up to date on the knowledge, but also to make sure that, from a human standpoint, we care about our patients. I remember a saying that someone told me, at least when I first started: “A patient doesn’t care how much you know. They just want to know that you care.” These partnerships, these encouraging endeavors, go well to make a community stable and to also encourage others to know that if they’re joining the community, they are in good hands. I think ultimately, these outreach programs, these endeavors to reach out, is always going to be a fruitful endeavor to help provide the best care for our patients.

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In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Dr. Rai emphasizes the importance of community outreach and support for patients with cancer.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Dr. Woodworth sheds light on the “Road to Recovery” survivorship program at Henry Mayo, which supports cancer survivors by providing them with fitness, education, and mental health resources, and underscores the importance of mentorship programs for community providers to ensure equitable cancer care.

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Survivorship and Support Programs

, Amanda M. Woodworth, MD, of Keck Medicine of USC at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, sheds light on the “Road to Recovery” survivorship program at Henry Mayo, which supports cancer survivors by providing them with fitness, education, and mental health resources, and underscores the importance of mentorship programs for community providers to ensure equitable cancer care.

We’ve also been able to bring in some other amazing programs with Keck Medicine. Number one, we have an amazing survivorship program—we call it “Road to Recovery.” We’ve actually partnered with Henry Mayo Fitness and Health on this one, which is our own gym and physical therapy/occupational therapy, and it is actually classes for survivors—not just breast cancer, but all types of cancer—[that allow them] to be able to come in and learn about the late effects of the cancer treatments, both physically but also emotionally and mentally. A lot goes into the treatment of cancer, and [there is a lot that] the caregivers [need to know, as well]. Then, we also [provide] guided exercise with the exercise specialist at Henry Mayo Fitness. [So], survivors [can do] guided exercises under the safety and eye of an exercise specialist. That’s been an amazing program that we’ve been able to offer for the survivors of this area, and that’s been very well received. We’re also able to work with palliative care and social work with Keck and bring those things, as well of some end-of-life care in the home, to the patients who need those resources.

As such, there is a lot that we are able to offer by number one, partnering with Henry Mayo, but also bringing some of the resources from the main academic site up here. Our patients can really benefit from all of those [initiatives,] but by partnering along with Henry Mayo, we can actually provide sometimes more and [offer] that care right in the community. As I mentioned at the very beginning [of our discussion], over 85% of cancers are identified within the community. But this has been a little bit of a tough road, because although this is true, sometimes we see a big difference in the treatment in the community vs an academic center. It’s really interesting. Dr Rai, I’ve been seeing more [efforts from the] academic standpoint, but as well as a national standpoint [focused on] how do [to provide] better care in the community.

In fact, there have been different mentorship programs that have been started for mid-career physicians, which, sadly, I’ve learned that that is me. But the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American College of Surgeons, and Surgical Society of Oncology, have all started these mentorship programs, and in fact, I’m honored to actually be part of the Surgical Society of Oncology’s inaugural program, specifically as a community provider. That’s what these programs are starting to do: mentor other community surgeons or other community cancer providers to show them how we can do better, and really spread the word within the community and make sure that all patients in the community are getting the same standard-of-care [treatment] that we can [provide] in the academic setting. It’s really neat, and I’m very excited to be part of this.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Dr Woodworth sheds light on the “Road to Recovery” survivorship program at Henry Mayo, which supports cancer survivors by providing them with fitness, education, and mental health resources.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Drs Woodworth and Rai, discuss their collaborative approach to cancer screening, emphasizing the importance of community efforts and individual assessments in integrating genetic testing and screenings into routine practice.

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Integrating Screening Programs

, Amanda M. Woodworth, MD, of Keck Medicine of USC at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and Anirudh Rai, MD, of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, discuss their collaborative approach to cancer screening, emphasizing the importance of community efforts and individual assessments in integrating genetic testing and screenings into routine practice.

Honestly, it is a community effort. The talks and educational part play a big role because that gives us the data and impetus to start programs like, for example, the cancer screening programs we have. We have the ability to do cancer screening right away. Thankfully, we work together with radiologists, with surgeons, and with pulmonologists, to make sure that lung screenings are thorough.

We also have implemented, in our clinic, ways to ask our patients these sorts of questions, as well. [I have a] short example, particularly [with regard to] the lung, [but we] also do this for breast cancer as well. Ultimately, it is an individual approach. We would talk to our patients on an individual basis, but it’s ultimately guided by guidelines and how they relate to the patient’s genetic and medical history. How we implement our programs is based on guideline-based data, and because of that, we have our resources, our surgeons, and our radiologists working together to make sure that no person is slipping through the cracks.

Based on these kinds of ideas, I’m curious about what you’re doing from the genetic aspect, because that is something that’s been interesting from what I understand.

So, yeah, I will tell you, that’s actually one of the great things about Henry Mayo and Santa Clarita. Every woman who comes in for a screening mammogram and requests to participate will be contacted, and through a chatbot, all of their own personal history of cancers, and family histories of cancers and polyps, is all assessed, and it is determined if they meet the national guidelines for genetic testing. If they [do], they’re provided with pre-test education through chatbots and videos, and then, by the time they’ve come in for their mammogram, they’ve already had these preliminary reviews. So, we can see whether they qualify for genetic testing, and if they do, we can actually offer that at the time of their mammogram. Then that allows us, and really you, Dr Rai, to be able to offer a tapered screening approach depending on whether they have a genetic mutation.

I’m certified in cancer genetics and risk assessment, and this sort of proactive approach to screening makes me so excited, but it is also accessible to the community. There have been studies that have come out of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and looked at this sort of screening, being able to offer it, not with a genetic counselor, but with chatbots and videos for pre-test education, and that [wasn’t found to be] associated with any more anxiety for the patients than is a genetic counselor. So, it’s a great service that we can offer here.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, experts discuss their collaborative approach to cancer screening, emphasizing the importance of community efforts and individual assessments in integrating genetic testing and screenings into routine practice.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Dr. Woodworth discusses her outreach efforts in the Santa Clarita community, including partnering with organizations like the American Cancer Society, hosting educational panels for women, and providing continuing medical education for local physicians to ensure comprehensive cancer care and awareness.

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Promoting Education

, Amanda M. Woodworth, MD, of Keck Medicine of USC at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and Anirudh Rai, MD, of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, discusses her outreach efforts in the Santa Clarita community, including partnering with organizations like the American Cancer Society, hosting educational panels for women, and providing continuing medical education for local physicians to ensure comprehensive cancer care and awareness.

Overall, I would say we do a lot in a primary care setting, but can you tell us more, Dr Woodworth, about ways you would reach out to the community and impart knowledge to them?

Yeah, absolutely. Thank you, Dr Rai. We do a lot of partnering with community organizations—especially our local branch of the American Cancer Society, really getting out there to do talks with them and support the community in any way we can. I personally have started something in the community called “Girl Talk,” which I call a social educational experience for the women of Santa Clarita Valley, where we bring in a panel of experts and just spend an hour and a half answering the women of the community’s questions about that topic at hand. Obviously, breast cancer is a favorite [topic] of mine. We’ll bring in medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery, plastic surgery, and radiology, to talk about all aspects of diagnosing and treating breast cancer.

Then, we also offer really neat CMEs for community physicians, which I think is critical. If you’re going to treat cancer in the community, then just make sure that all of your community physicians are up to speed on what you have to offer. I’m currently planning our next CME event, which is going to be happening in just over a month, and we’re going to be talking about integrating genetics into the community. I tend to be a little bit of a nerd when it comes to genetics. I think that this is essential, to be able to educate the community, the patients, and their providers, to make sure everybody is on the same page.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Dr Woodworth discusses her outreach efforts in the Santa Clarita community, including partnering with organizations like the American Cancer Society, hosting educational panels for women, and providing continuing medical education for local physicians to ensure comprehensive cancer care and awareness.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, Drs. Woodworth and Rai, discuss the significance of community-based cancer care, emphasizing that most cancers are diagnosed locally and highlighting the importance of collaboration between primary care physicians and specialists to provide optimal education and treatment.

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Importance of Collaboration

, Amanda M. Woodworth, MD, of Keck Medicine of USC at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and Anirudh Rai, MD, of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, discuss the significance of community-based cancer care, emphasizing that most cancers are diagnosed locally and highlighting the importance of collaboration between primary care physicians and specialists to provide optimal education and treatment.

Hi. My name is Dr Amanda Woodworth. I am a breast surgical oncologist and the director of breast health for Keck Medicine of USC at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. We have entered into a really exciting joint venture providing cancer services for the Santa Clarita community with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. We get to work with all sorts of primary care physicians and other physicians in the community, and today, I’m really excited to be joined by Dr Rai to talk about this really important relationship that we have in the community. It turns out that over 85% of cancers are actually diagnosed in the community, and 80% of patients prefer to be treated in the community. So, Dr Rai, can you talk a little bit about the importance of treating patients in the community they live in?

Yeah, absolutely. Welcome everyone. My name is Dr Anirudh Rai, and we’re here to kind of touch upon these points about the importance of community when it comes to treating cancer. It’s true that a lot of cancer diagnoses are made in the primary care setting. To give you an idea, we diagnose cancer about once a month per se, but the idea is patients come to us in the primary care setting with symptoms that are pretty nonspecific, and then we, in turn, try to do our due diligence, do the proper paperwork and blood work, and find out what’s going on. We ultimately end up sending them to the specialist.

Ideally, we [look at the] symptoms, [which] are very, very important, and we always do our due diligence to make sure it’s not cancer. More often than not, we have to be a bit cautious. Patients don’t [always] know where to go with these symptoms. Thankfully, [if] they come to their primary care doctor, [that doctor] would do the work and send them to the proper specialist. And that’s where the importance comes in, to have a community where the patient is close to home, close to these sort of resources to help them in these troubling times—[whether] it is a diagnosis of cancer [or] symptoms that are concerning, it’s important to have the resources and the support to collaborate with them, with our community, with their family, as well, to make sure that they’re treated well and are informed well.

Education, for the most part, is incredibly vital when it comes to being a physician, as a primary care physician and also as a cancer physician or a surgeon. Essentially, the title of doctor comes from teacher, so it’s important to teach our patients. Thankfully, in our community, we have plenty of ways to educate our patients. I personally do a lot of podcasts. We do a lot of talks and a lot of events in the community to educate on the importance of screening for cancer, the importance of their primary care doctor, and the importance of honestly sharing their feelings with their families as well, because ultimately, it’s a whole family unit that plays a role in this endeavor.

In this episode of OncChats: Empowering Community Cancer Care, experts discuss the significance of community-based cancer care, emphasizing that most cancers are diagnosed locally and highlighting the importance of collaboration between primary care physicians and specialists to provide optimal education and treatment.

Anirudh Rai, MD

Articles

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Importance of Outreach Initiatives

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Survivorship and Support Programs

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Integrating Screening Programs

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Promoting Education

Empowering Community Cancer Care: Importance of Collaboration