HCA Healthcare is launching a new program to boost lung cancer screenings for its non-white patients, who are often more affected by cancer rates and health disparities.
The health system performed pilot testing of the initiative at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and most recently expanded it to a location in Richmond, Va., according to a Dec. 1 news release.
Since the onset of COVID-19, cancer screenings have sharply declined across the board for several types of the disease, including lung cancer. Increasing those numbers to catch cancers and provide patients with the care they need is the health system's goal.
HCA's pilot program uses technology to comb through data and identify patients who may be eligible for the screenings. That data is then shared with care coordinators to follow-up with those who have been identified and further assess if the patient meets screening requirements.
Since launching pilot tests in Nashville and Virginia, the health system notes it has seen increases in lung cancer screening at both locations, signaling the program's early success.