Abstract B015: Enhancing knowledge of cancer survivorship care among primary care clinicians serving underserved populations: Lessons from an ECHO project
Authors: Museitif Maram , Balasubramanian Bijal A. , Ma Hilary , Eary Rebecca 
Published: December 2023

Background: Primary care clinicians (PCCs), especially those practicing at Community Health Centers (CHCs) serving underserved populations, provide medical care for a substantial number of patients with cancer. PCCs often lack formal medical training in cancer survivorship care in the context of their various chronic conditions, creating an opportunity for knowledge sharing through Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes). This is a critical gap because of the growing number of cancer survivors in the United States (US) needing high-quality and comprehensive care. This study partnered with CHC PCCs to enhance cancer survivorship knowledge through a Cancer Survivorship ECHO Project – a peer-to-peer telementoring approach. Methods: Nine ECHO sessions were conducted from Oct 2022 - June 2023 in partnership with two CHCs covering cancer survivorship topics, such as breast and prostate cancer survivorship, late and long-term effects of cancer and its treatments, and psychosocial distress. Each session featured a case-based presentation by a PCC followed by a didactic presentation from oncology and primary care content experts. An online pre-ECHO project survey was distributed to evaluate PCCs' cancer survivorship knowledge and training. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted to assess PCCs' barriers and facilitators in providing survivorship care and experiences with participating in the ECHO sessions with eight PCCs. Results: Out of the 12 eligible PCCs from two CHCs, the response rate for the pre-ECHO project survey was 58.3% (n=7). Preliminary findings revealed that 83.3% of the PCCs reported a lack of training in cancer survivorship. Qualitative analysis of the eight PCC interviews identified specific barriers to providing high-quality care, such as the lack of accessible survivorship resources in the electronic medical records and means to quickly communicate with oncologists and the need for survivorship training to assist with managing their patient's side effects from late and long term effects of cancer.  In this context, PCCs reported the positive impact of ECHO sessions on enhancing survivorship knowledge and training to deliver high-quality cancer survivorship care. Conclusion: Enhancing knowledge and building capacity among PCCs are important components in improving the delivery of cancer survivorship care in an underserved patient population. ECHO-based telementoring approaches have the potential to engage PCCs collaboratively in addressing the knowledge gap and consequently improving patient outcomes.  

Citation Format: Maram Museitif, Bijal A. Balasubramanian, Hilary Ma, Rebecca Eary. Enhancing knowledge of cancer survivorship care among primary care clinicians serving underserved populations: Lessons from an ECHO project [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B015.