Download Slide Deck

Links of Care Update – July 27, 2017

This webinar shared what we’ve learned so far from our Links of Care pilot project. The Links of Care pilots seek to improve colorectal cancer screening and follow up care for uninsured and underinsured patients by strengthening relationships between community health centers and the surrounding medical neighborhood. Speakers provided a brief overview of their specific pilot site, and discussed implementation, workflows, and lessons learned.

Background: In 2012, the Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA) began requiring Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to measure and report colorectal cancer screening rates. FQHCs were concerned about securing follow up care for patients with an abnormal diagnosis, as follow-up services are often prohibitively expensive for low-income, uninsured patients. To address this challenge, the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the NCCRT implemented the Links of Care pilot program to promote collaboration between FQHCs serving low-income patients and specialty providers to secure diagnostic services. Goals were to increase timely access to specialists after an abnormal screening, implement evidence-based strategies to increase colorectal cancer screening rates, and assess project implementation.

Speakers:

• Suzanne Lagarde, MD, MBA, FACP, Chief Executive Officer, Fair Haven Community Health Center, Connecticut
• Julia Williams, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc., South Carolina
• Chris Singer, RN, CPHQ, Chief Operating Officer, West Side Community Health Services, Minnesota
• Kara Riehman, PhD, Strategic Director, Evaluation & Research, American Cancer Society, Inc.