The American Cancer Society's National Consortium for Cancer Screening and Care outlined nine recommendations to bring screening rates back to pre-pandemic levels in a Feb. 16 report.
A growing body of research has explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted cancer care and routine screenings. From January to July 2020, nearly 10 million cancer screenings in the U.S. were delayed, a recent report found.
Nine recommendations to boost cancer screening rates:
- Accelerate collaboration between multiple stakeholders.
- Create coordinated and innovative campaigns to promote screening.
- Proven programs: Support proven community-based programs to expand cancer screening.
- Adopt improved quality and accountability measures.
- Accelerate innovations and interventions to ensure equitable access to cancer screening and care.
- Develop a whole-person approach to boost trust in public health and healthcare systems.
- Include cancer and other chronic disease care in preparedness plans.
- Strengthen transdisciplinary team work.
- Enhance reporting on cancer disparities to strengthen understanding of screening outcomes.
To read more about the strategies, click here.