Help OHA with the development of a statewide preventive lung cancer screening map

Posted on: 7/21/23

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and unfortunately, Oklahoma ranks last in the nation for lung cancer survival. Catching lung cancer in its earliest stages provides patients with the greatest odds for survival, yet less than 2% of Oklahomans eligible for preventive lung cancer screening receive a scan. OHA’s Health Improvement Initiatives team is proud to announce their commitment to helping hospitals further improve preventive lung cancer screening in Oklahoma and would like your help in providing feedback through an informant survey

 “Promoting preventive lung cancer screening is a win-win for patients and hospitals because it saves lives, is covered at no cost sharing for eligible patients, and CMS or private insurers will provide reimbursement to the hospital or outpatient clinic for the shared decision-making process and scan,” said Eric Finley, OHA Health Improvement Initiatives manager.

In 2022, OHA began ramping up efforts to better address lung cancer in Oklahoma by surveying hospitals about their interest in developing a lung cancer screening program, developed a toolkit to help walk hospitals through the process of implementing a new lung cancer screening program, and developed educational documents on the steps to become an American College of Radiology (ACR) accredited lung cancer screening program. The Health Improvement Initiatives team added a new objective for preventive lung cancer screening to its annual work plan and will be reaching out to OHA hospitals to learn more about your current preventive lung cancer screening efforts.

OHA has worked with a coalition of lung cancer screening experts in the state to develop a key informant survey, which will be utilized to develop a statewide preventive lung cancer screening map. The OHA would greatly appreciate your participation in completing the survey online (OHA Survey - PLCS) or through a quick virtual interview.

OHA’s health improvement initiatives have been supported by TSET since 2009 and have a tenured history of helping Oklahoma hospitals implement systems change to improve population health outcomes, resulting in over 41,000 years of life saved and $24 million in reduced healthcare cost. If your hospital is interested in learning more about any of OHA’s systems change initiatives, would like help with developing or growing a preventive lung cancer screening program, or are willing to complete the key informant survey, please email our team at [email protected]. (Eric Finley)