During this webinar update we will share 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 will provide a brief overview of their specific pilot site, while also discussing 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.

Registration is required. The webinar is open to NCCRT members, 80% by 2018 partners, CDC grantees, ACS Health Systems and Communications staff, and new partners interested in getting engaged in colorectal cancer screening efforts.

A replay of the webinar will be made available a few days after the webinar on the NCCRT webinar archive webpage.