Improving the Timeliness and Quality of Care for Rural Cancer Patients With Solid Tumors
Summary
This study will assess if the CARES (Cancer Advocacy, Resources, Education and Support) intervention improves time to start of treatment after diagnosis and time to treatment completion for solid tumors (ex: lung, head, neck, thyroid, cervical, breast, bladder, colon, and rectal cancers) in rural patients.
Detailed description
This is a randomized study. 320 participants will be enrolled to the CARES intervention or usual care arms. All participants will complete surveys to assess Quality of Care and Patient Reported outcomes at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. The CARES intervention will include a maximum of 10 navigation and 10 counseling sessions delivered over approximately a 6- month period delivered by oncology nurse navigators and master's level counselors. Sessions will be scheduled to correspond with key transition points during treatment and may be held in person, virtually, or by phone. Patients enrolled to the usual care arm will receive a standardized list of resources. Participation will last 6 months.
Arms & interventions
- BehavioralCARES Intervention
Nurse navigators and masters levels counselors will meet with participants up to 10 times each (10 navigation and 10 counseling) over a 6 month period. The number of sessions will be determined by the length of the patient's treatment. The timing of each session will be guided by a regular assessment to reduce the time from diagnosis to initiation of treatment and the time between subsequent treatments. Sessions will occur at key transition points during treatment to target the factors associated with treatment delays, reduced Quality of Care and poor Patient Reported Outcomes
Outcome measures
Primary
Time to care
Number of days from diagnosis to treatment initiation and number of days from treatment initiation to treatment completion
Time frame: From study start to study end (6 months)
Secondary
Quality of Care
Time frame: From study start to study end (6 months)
Patient Reported Outcomes
Time frame: From study start to study end (6 months)
Eligibility criteria
Study locations (14)
University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colorado, 80045
Memorial Hospital Central
Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80909
Memorial Hospital North
Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80920
Poudre Valley Hospital
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524
SCL- St. Mary's Medical Center
Grand Junction, Colorado, 81501
VA Western Colorado Health Care System
Grand Junction, Colorado, 81501
Greeley Campus
Greeley, Colorado, 80634
Highlands Ranch Hospital
Highlands Ranch, Colorado, 80129
Medical Center of the Rockies
Loveland, Colorado, 80538
San Juan Cancer Center
Montrose, Colorado, 81401
Rocky Mountain Cancer Center
Pueblo, Colorado, 81003
UCHealth - Parkview medical Center
Pueblo, Colorado, 81003
Yampa Valley Medical Center
Steamboat Springs, Colorado, 80487
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112