Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) recently hosted a special Lunch and Learn Celebration to mark the conclusion of a transformative lung cancer screening collaboration that is being recognized as a model for rural healthcare throughout Central Appalachia. The event brought together healthcare leaders, national partners and regional collaborators who have worked together over the past two years to expand early detection efforts and improve outcomes for lung cancer patients in some of the nation’s most vulnerable communities.
The initiative was a result of a dynamic partnership between PMC, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC), regional healthcare systems and the Rural Appalachian Lung Cancer Screening Initiative (RALCSI). Participants from across the country, including healthcare professionals, policymakers and national partners from Washington, D.C., joined PMC executives, providers and staff to celebrate the remarkable achievements made during this project.
Throughout the program, PMC implemented significant system-wide changes to embed lung cancer screening into its culture of care.
Highlights of the collaborative effort include:
- Almost 2,000 low-dose CT scans performed
- 10 early-stage lung cancer diagnoses
- Integration of Epic Best Practice Alerts and MyChart Notifications to identify screening-eligible patients
- Training for all clinical nurses to accurately capture smoking history
- Creation of a Pulmonary Nurse Navigator position and establishment of a dedicated Pulmonology Clinic
- Over 10 community outreach events across Eastern Kentucky.
